House debates on Merci’s impeach case reset to next week

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s impeachment case will be tackled by the House of Representatives next week after the prosecution team failed to meet its self-imposed deadline for submitting documents related to the case on Tuesday. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas said the nine-member prosecution team — members of the House justice committee — will submit to the committee on rules a report, along with articles of impeachment,at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, a few hours later than its earlier target. According to Fariñas, Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, who heads the committee on rules, said the impeachment case will likely be taken up in the plenary by Monday next week. “It will be the Rules Committee that will calendar it [the impeachment case] for plenary. As per my consultation with Chairman Gonzales, we will take it up in plenary on Monday," he said in a text message to GMA News Online. The lawmaker, who serves as vice-chairperson of both the House justice panel and the prosecution team, assured that the impeachment case will be put to a vote before the lower chamber starts its Holy Week recess on March 24. Gutierrez is currently being accused of betrayal of public trust for the low conviction rates of the Office of the Ombudsman under her term, and her alleged inaction in five high-profile cases. Under Section 3, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the impeachment case against the Ombudsman will have to get a one-third vote of all House members— in this case, 94 affirmative votes— before it can be transmitted to the Senate for trial.– VVP, GMA News