Militant lawyers step up preparation of charges vs Merci

Wary of her possible reappointment to government in the future, militant lawyers have stepped up their preparation of charges against resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares on Sunday said there is nothing to bar Gutierrez, who he said resigned without showing any remorse, from being reappointed by a friendlier administration. “Dahil nag-resign siya, she is not convicted, she can still be appointed in government someday by another president (She merely resigned, she has not been convicted. She can still be appointed in government someday by another president)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said militant lawyers’ groups such as the National Union of People’s Lawyers are now looking into the possibility of filing charges of graft and obstruction of justice against Gutierrez. The cases stemmed from the complaints of farmers who were affected by the P728-million fertilizer fund mess, where the money allegedly went to then administration presidential bet Gloria Arroyo’s campaign kitty. Colmenares also hinted Gutierrez may be included in charges against Arroyo, especially on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam as an “accessory after the fact." “Yan ang nire-raise ng farmers. Ang NUPL pinaghahandaan ang cases (It is a clamor of the farmers to file charges against Gutierrez. The NUPL is preparing the charges)," he said. But Colmenares also said Gutierrez can still redeem herself if she turns state witness and testifies against Arroyo. “Either she’s charged or she offers her testimony as a witness kahit hindi siya charged," he said. Colmenares said the House of Representatives prosecution team in Gutierrez’s aborted impeachment trial had already secured at least four affidavits from witnesses indicating Gutierrez tried to derail the investigation of the fertilizer fund scam. He said the affidavits were from executives at the Office of the Ombudsman who he declined to name but described as “high enough to know there was not only inaction" by Gutierrez. “She revoked the travel authorities of investigators assigned to the case. She reassigned members of the task force looking into the fertilizer mess," he said. “Of course if she will testify at sabihing inutusan ako na i-disband ang Task Force Abono... that will be a very powerful evidence (Of course if she will testify and say Arroyo ordered her to disband Task Force Abono, which handled the fertilizer fund mess, that will be a very powerful evidence)," he added. Meanwhile, Colmenares said lawmakers forming part of the prosecution team in Gutierrez’s aborted impeachment trial may still go to the Senate on May 9. The Senate had scheduled the start of the trial on May 9, before Gutierrez tendered her resignation last Friday. Gutierrez’s resignation will take effect May 6. “May subpoena ang Senate sa amin to appear May 9. Hindi ko alam ang decision ng Senate, siguro may formalities na i-archive. Hangga’t hindi nila binawi ang subpoena sa amin I think we’ll be forced to go there," Colmenares said. — LBG, GMA News