House prosecution team to resume impeach preparations after Easter

Preparations by the House prosecution team for the Senate impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez will go in full swing after Easter Sunday, its head said Thursday. Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., head of the 11-man prosecution team, said the panel took a break from its preparations this Holy Week and will resume work after the Lenten season. “We will take a break this Holy Week. The meetings of the panel will resume next week," he said in a text message to GMA News Online on Thursday. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, another team member, meanwhile said that while he will observe a “solemn break" this week, he will still do some “light reading" on the case. “The whole time I’ll be with my family spending time with them. By Monday, back to work na," he said in a separate text message. Tupas, Colmenares and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas were assigned to handle the first article of impeachment against Gutierrez, which accuses the official of inaction in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam. Other members of the prosecution team include Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, Akbayan party-list Rep. Arlene Bag-ao, Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, Valenzuela Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., and Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza. The House last March 21 approved the articles of impeachment against Gutierrez and sent them to the Senate for trial. The Ombudsman is being accused of betrayal of public trust for the low conviction rates during her term and her supposed inaction on five high-profile cases. [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/215844/house-impeaches-merci-for-betrayal-of-public-trust] The Senate will formally start the impeachment trial May 9, at 2 p.m. — VS, GMA News