Belmonte: No ‘marching orders’ from Aquino on Ombudsman’s impeach raps

President Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III has kept his hands off the impeachment complaints filed against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez before the House of Representatives, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Thursday. At a press conference, Belmonte denied speculations that Aquino has already given his allies in the House the “marching orders" on how to handle the bid to remove Gutierrez, a perceived ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, from her post. "I don’t think he (Aquino) will do that. He has been a congressman. I think he respects [the] independence of Congress," Belmonte said. Belmonte, who is from Aquino's Liberal Party, added that he will be the first one to “resent" any moves from the executive department to influence the impeachment proceedings. "Let me tell you, gusto natin dito due process. That’s what she will be getting here: due process and fairness to everybody," he said. The Speaker likewise said that members of the House committee on justice from the administration bloc deliberated on the impeachment raps against the Ombudsman based on their own decisions and not on orders from the President or the party. The House committee on justice has found the two impeachment complaints against Gutierrez sufficient in substance and form. The House panel gave the Ombudsman 10 days to respond to the complaints. The two complaints were earlier separately filed by former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros and progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) to remove Gutierrez from her post. (See: Ex-Rep. Hontiveros leads 2nd impeachment vs Gutierrez) At the same time, Belmonte gave assurance that the pending complaints filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman will not affect the impeachment hearings. "Itong integrity ng Congress ang gusto nating ipakita, that we are actually serious-minded here and we want to go by the books here," he said. Militant party-list lawmakers have earlier urged Aquino to gather his House allies in pushing the impeachment complaints against Gutierrez. (See: Party-list reps urge Aquino to rally for Ombudsman's impeachment) Although Aquino had earlier expressed interest in removing and replacing the Ombudsman, the President has not commented on moves to the impeach Gutierrez in the House of Representatives as of posting time. — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV