Enrile not in favor of amending impeachment rules

UPDATED 1:00 p.m. - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday said he was not in favor of amending the rules of impeachment trial such that senators could vote for or against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez after each article of impeachment is tackled one by one. "Di na kailangan yun (That is not needed). If there is any flaw in the rules, which I think there is none, then we should forego that unless it becomes clearly necessary in the course of the hearing," Enrile said during the weekly forum at the Senate. The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court on May 9. He issued the statement after Senator Francis Pangilinan filed Senate Resolution 441 which seeks to amend Resolution 432 or the Rules of Procedures on Impeachment Trials to allow senators to vote on whether the impeachment is sustained after every presentation of evidence and arguments once an article of impeachment is completed. Enrile admitted that "at first glance" one would think that Pangilinan's proposed amendment would save the Senate time. However, he explained that if they agree to amend the rules, they will have to republish it and thus delay the time when they can formally convene as an impeachment court. "It may take some time again to begin the proceedings," he said. He likewise said that if the senators are allowed to vote after each article of impeachment is tackled, everyone would know the position of each senator on the impeachment case. "You would know who are voting against her... you would know who are voting with her. (They would be) exposed to all sorts of pressure. I would like to avoid that," he said. He added that it is possible they would not find a basis to make a ruling on the individual articles, making it more practical to vote on the totality of the articles. Enrile also said the impeachment rules are "complete" because they incorporate the present rules of the Senate as a legislative body, the rules of evidence of the court, and the rules of procedure of the Supreme Court. OMG movement, Merci's "babies" Meanwhile, about 50 members of the Oust Merceditas Gutierrez (OMG) movement trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City to call for Gutierrez’s removal from office. The group brought with them baby strollers carrying dolls, which bore the name of several government officials, whom Gutierrez allegedly “coddled" during her term. These government officials include former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former military comptroller Carlos Garcia with whom the Ombudsman entered into a controversial plea bargain agreement last year, and former agriculture official Jocelyn “Joc-Joc" Bolante, who was allegedly involved in the fertilizer fund scam. “Merci is guilty of providing excessive and inappropriate care and consideration to plunderers and corrupt officials," said former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, one of the complainants in the impeachment case against Gutierrez. — with Andreo Calonzo, RSJ/VVP/MRT, GMA News