Lawmakers refute Merci’s claim of ‘moro-moro’ hearings

Members of the justice panel in the House of Representatives, which is handling the impeachment complaints against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, on Sunday disputed her claim that the hearings on the case were “moro-moro" (farce). Committee chairman Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas said Gutierrez cannot label the proceedings as farce when she already submitted herself to the panel’s jurisdiction. “The Ombudsman cannot claim that the proceeding is ‘moro-moro’ when she, herself, submitted her answers to the complaints with the committee and authorized her lawyers to appear in the hearing," he said in a text message to GMA News Online. He said Gutierrez will only waive her right to answer the complaints against her if she refuses to attend the clarificatory hearings on the case on Tuesday. “The hearings of the House committee on justice are mandated by the Constitution… If the respondent is hiding and refuses to personally appear before the committee, then she waives her right, but the proceeding continues," he said. Gutierrez, accused of shielding the Arroyo family from prosecution, had earlier said she has no plans of taking part in the the hearings since its members have supposedly made up their minds on her guilt. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, committee vice-chairperson, meanwhile called Gutierrez’s opinion as “flawed," saying he might urge the panel to just “throw away" her answers to the complaints. “If she believes her words, why then did she submit evidence for her defense last Friday? In fact, if that statement imputed to her is verified, we may just throw away the documents she submitted," he said in a separate text message. Fariñas added that he will clarify with Gutierrez’s lawyer, Anacleto Diaz, why his client submitted a response to the complaints but refused to acknowledge the committee’s jurisdiction. Last Wednesday during a hearing, Gutierrez’s counsel said their camp “will not skirt" the proceedings. Gutierrez, however, said she will only take part in the impeachment trial in the Senate should the chamber approve the complaints, since she believes she will get fair treatment from the senators. The House justice panel is scheduled to determine on Tuesday if there is probable cause to impeach Gutierrez. Two separate impeachment complaints were filed against the Ombudsman last year for alleged betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. - KBK, GMA News