MANILA, Philippines--The militant partylist bloc in the House of Representatives on Tuesday called on Liberal Party-led coalition to muster the numbers to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
"The impeachment will prosper if President Benigno Aquino III and the LP-led coalition in the House musters the political will to make sure it does," said a statement read in a news conference by party-list Representatives Teddy Casino and Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna; Luz Ilagan and Emmy de Jesus of Gabriela; Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis; Raymond Palatino of Kabataan; and Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers.
The committee on justice will begin hearing on Wednesday the two impeachment complaints filed against Gutierrez.
The party-list lawmakers were the endorsers of the second complaint filed by militant leaders such as Renato Reyes Jr. of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and Sister Mary John Mananzan.
The complainants charged Gutierrez for her inaction on the cases of the so-called Euro generals who brought millions of pesos out of the country, the national broadband network deal with China's ZTE Corp., and the deal of the Commission on Elections with Mega Pacific Corp. on the automation contract.
The lawmakers said the impeachment cases serve as "litmus test" for the President and his allies in Congress to hold the previous administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is now Pampanga congressman, accountable for its "crimes" against the nation.
"We call on the President to stand firm on his publicly-declared intention of removing the Ombudsman from office. The President should show everyone he is serious in taking the straight path and in removing one of its biggest obstacles," they said.
The impeachment complaint needs only 90 signatures of the 268-member chamber so that it can be transmitted to the Senate for a full trial.
The party-list lawmakers said the complaint is "unique," citing that it came from the ranks of the majority.
They said the new leadership is now in the position "to ensure not a tyranny of numbers but a proper hearing and resolution of the case."
