Ombudsman submits to SC memorandum vs House panel's impeach bid

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez has reiterated before the Supreme Court her appeal to prevent the House of Representatives justice committee from pursuing the impeachment proceedings against her. In a memorandum submitted to the SC on Wednesday, Gutierrez urged the court to grant her plea to restrain the House panel from from hearing the two impeachment complaints filed against her. The memorandum is her final pleading before the court resolves the case. After the oral arguments on October 12, the court required Gutierrez, the House panel, and other parties to the case to submit their respective memoranda. The two impeachment complaints against Gutierrez were filed by groups led by former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel and militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). Gutierrez was accused of sitting on cases wherein former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her family and her allies were implicated. In her memorandum, Gutierrez reiterated her argument that the House panel violated the 1987 Constitution by accepting the two complaints even if the Charter bans two impeachment proceedings against an impeachable official within the same year. She then asked the high tribunal to set aside the House panel's two resolutions that found the two impeachment complaints sufficient in form and substance. She also asked the court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction to prevent permanently the House justice committee from conducting the impeachment proceedings against her. Acting just one day after Gutierrez filed her petition on September 13, the SC issued a "status quo ante order." This order obliged the House committee "to return to the situation" before it issued the two resolutions stating that the impeachment complaints were sufficient in form and substance. The SC’s Sept. 14 order thus temporarily suspended the House impeachment proceedings. – VVP, GMANews.TV