Palace: Survey may 'influence' senator-judges at Merci trial

A Social Weather Stations survey showing 52 percent of Filipinos favor the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez might “influence" the Senate when it convenes in May, Malacañang said Saturday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that while senators are expected to be independent in their judgment on the case, they “do not exist in a vacuum" as they also read or watch the television news. “Our senators have their independent thinking and we certainly respect their judgment and discretion on the matter. But all of us do not exist in a vacuum. We read the news and the 52-percent outcome shows the sentiments of the people and their overwhelming support to reform the Office of the Ombudsman," Lacierda said in Filipino on government-run dzRB radio. He was referring to the SWS survey indicating 52 percent of Filipinos favor the Supreme Court ruling paving the way for the impeachment of Gutierrez. Last Tuesday, the House of Representatives impeached Gutierrez, and paved the way for her impeachment trial at the Senate. The Senate expects to start the trial on May 9. On the other hand, Lacierda “reminded" the Senate of the Office of the Ombudsman’s failure to act on its committee reports on alleged irregularities during the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration. He cited the plea bargaining agreement that allowed former military comptroller Carlos Garcia to go scot-free despite facing a plunder charge; and a P728-million fertilizer fund scam. “The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has done several reports on the irregularities but the Ombudsman did not act on them," he said. “We believe na habang naroon si Gng. Gutierrez nagiging sagabal ang Office of the Ombudsman sa pag-usig sa corruption na nangyari sa nakaraang administrasyon (We believe that so long as Mrs. Gutierrez is at her post, the Ombudsman becomes a stumbling block to pursuing corruption cases especially those under the past administration)," he added. — LBG, GMA News