Aquino: Support Ombudsman impeachment, other anti-corruption efforts

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on Wednesday called on Filipinos to support the government's anti-corruption efforts, including the move to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. In a speech before the Philippine Economic Briefing here, Aquino said: "As the Senate prepares to try the Ombudsman, I urge you to support this and other efforts to fight corruption." "Together, we can eliminate the dark elements that hinder us from the true and lasting change that we have long hoped for. Together, we can end the systematized corruption that has prevented our country from fulfilling its vast potential," Aquino said. "We must continue tapping into this spirit of bayanihan that runs in our blood in order to finally lift this country together, as fellow Filipinos, back to its rightful place under the daylight," he added. Aquino said the impeachment of Gutierrez is part of the government's efforts to curb corruption in the country. "We promised to put an end to the corruption that had been so prevalent in the years leading up to last year’s election. We promised a government that does its job; a government that is not allergic to the word “overtime;" a government that puts the interests of the Filipino people on the forefront of every single project," Aquino said. "We are delivering on these promises, and this has redounded to significant improvements in many areas of concern, including our economy," he added. Citizen of the republic Meanwhile, in an interview with reporters after delivering his speech, Aquino said, "I may be President but I am also a citizen of this republic. As a citizen of this republic, I am really not happy with the performance of the Ombudsman and her people." Aquino said his position about the Ombudsman's impeachment is clear to the public. "I think I’ve said enough. I think my position is very clear. Again I’m expressing not just President but I’m expressing my opinion as a citizen who demands a certain level, shall we say, of quality of functions of public service," he said. Transmittal of articles of impeachment The members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon proceeded to the Senate in Pasay City to transmit the six articles of impeachment against Gutierrez. The lawmakers transmitting the articles were led by House Justice committee chairman Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., according to a radio dzBB report. With Tupas were other Justice committee members — Representatives Lorenzo Tañada III, Teddy Casiño, Rodolfo Fariñas, and Neri Colmenares. Accompanying the lawmakers were former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) director general Renato Reyes, who were the lead complainants in the two separate impeachment complaints filed before the House of Representatives. The House approved early on Tuesday the articles of impeachment to bring Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to trial at the Senate for her alleged betrayal of public trust. In a 212-46 vote with four abstentions, the lawmakers impeached Gutierrez for alleged betrayal of public trust due to the low conviction rates during her term and her supposed inaction on five high-profile cases. Palace: No P20-M bribe Meanwhile, Malacañang on Wednesday denied rumors that President Aquino offered an additional P20-million pork barrel to congressmen who voted ‘yes’ on the impeachment case against Gutierrez. At a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the rumor "is absolutely not true." “Unang-una po, hindi po natin alam kung saan po galing ‘yang impormasyon na ‘yan. Nabasa lang din po natin kanina ‘yan doon sa isang pahayagan at ang sasabihin lang po natin d’yan, “it’s absolutely not true," Valte said. (First of all, we don’t know where the information came from. We just read about it this morning from a newspaper. All we can say: it’s absolutely untrue.) She said those who made the claim obviously did not do their math well. "These kinds of things normally defy the bounds of logic. Alam naman po natin ‘yung budgetary constraints ng pamahalaan. Again, hindi po natin alam kung saan nanggaling ito but kung sino po man ‘yung nagsabi ‘noon, obviously did not do the math. When asked about the P20-million supposed bribe, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a text message said: "You should have greater faith in the ability of many of our legislators to transcend their narrow, parochial interest and aspire for the greater good." Dark politics? Asked for comment about Gutierrez's claim that she was a victim of dark politics, Valte said "everybody can attest that the proceedings at the House of Representatives were done publicly and was televised." ‘Yung pagboto po at pag-present po ng kaso po ng committee on justice was also done in the broad view of the public. So hindi po natin alam kung saan po nanggaling ‘yung dark politics. "Hindi po natin kasi…hindi ko po alam ‘yung frame of mind ni Ombudsman Gutierrez ‘nung sinabi po n’ya ‘yon," she added. Asked about her comment on the press conference Gutierrez made after she was impeached, Valte said: "I think that is to be expected of someone who is being accused of something—na to come out to the public and say na ‘hindi ko po ginawa ‘yung ganito, hindi ko po ginawa ‘yung ganyan’. However, at the end of the day, what matters would be the trial at the Senate, she added. Valte also said she is in favor of moves to have the impeachment trial at the Senate fully televised. "Given the amount of public interest, siguro mabuti rin pong magkaroon ng katulad po ng nangyari sa House. Siguro po mas mabuti, given the amount of public interest and the following of the issues, mabuti po sigurong magkaroon din ng broadcast as in the House. Impeachable offenses The approved articles of impeachment states the following impeachable offenses which Gutierrez allegedly committed: (1) under Gutierrez, the Office of the Ombudsman has performed dismally as shown by the office’s low conviction rate; (2) the unreasonable failure to take prompt and immediate action on complaints filed against various public officials, including former President and now incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo regarding the National Broadband Network (NBN)-ZTE project; (3) the inexcusable delay of the Ombudsman in conducting and concluding its investigation into the wrongful death of Ensign Philip Andrew Pestaño aboard a Philippine navy vessel; (4) inaction in the matter of the Fertilizer Fund Scam; (5) inaction in the matter of the Mega Pacific deal on automated polls machines; and (6) inaction in the matter of the “Euro Generals" issue. — LBG/VVP, GMA News