House committee to start impeach-Ombudsman hearings on Sept 1

Two weeks from now, the justice committee of the Lower House will start its hearing on the impeachment complaints filed against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, which have been consolidated into one complaint. The first hearing will focus on the consolidation of the two impeachment complaints separately filed by former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel and several militant organizations, Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas said. The justice committee, which is chaired by Tupas, arrived at the decision during a meeting Wednesday. “The consolidation of the complaints will be the first agenda of the committee," he said in an earlier interview with GMANews.TV. After the consolidation, the panel will then decide on the sufficiency in form of the consolidated complaint. On the other hand, the committee will discuss the sufficiency in substance of the complaint in two to three hearings. The two complaints were simultaneously referred to the justice committee last Tuesday at 4:47 pm. In both complaints, Gutierrez was accused of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution for her alleged failure to perform her role as the head of the country’s anti-graft investigating body. The complainants alleged that Gutierrez failed to act promptly on several graft cases involving former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo, and officials of her administration. Gutierrez has been closely associated with the Arroyo couple, having been a classmate of Mr. Arroyo at the Ateneo Law School. The embattled Ombudsman has denied the accusations, insisting that closeness to the President is not an impeachable offense. After the committee has determined the consolidated complaint’s sufficiency in form and substance, it will have to submit its report and resolution, approved by majority of its members, within 60 session days. The report and resolution will then be calendared for deliberation by the House as a whole within 10 session days. A vote of at least one-third of all the members of the House is needed to either affirm or reject the findings of the committee. Once affirmed, the complaint will constitute the Articles of Impeachment and sent to the Senate, which has the sole power to try and decide the impeachment case, with the Senate President will presiding over the process. The concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate is needed to convict the accused.—Amita O. Legaspi/JV, GMANews.TV