MANILA, Philippines?The son of an old foe will handle the latest impeachment case against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas Jr., whose father's dismissal by the Ombudsman was cited as one of the grounds in a previous attempt to unseat Gutierrez, has been appointed chair of the House justice committee, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte said Wednesday.
The committee presides over the hearings of all impeachment cases before the House.
An impeachment complaint against Gutierrez last year accused her of, among other things, committing grave abuse of discretion in dismissing Iloilo Gov. Neil Tupas Sr. for graft. The younger Tupas backed the complaint.
The justice committee chairmanship was the first House post to be filled in the ongoing House reorganization under a new leadership.
Belmonte said the House leaders decided to name a justice committee chair early so that it could have a representative at Wednesday's meeting of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which nominates candidates for Supreme Court justices.
The justice committee chairs of the House and the Senate are JBC members.
Asked about the possibility of Tupas' impartiality being questioned, Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III said the justice committee chair does not vote in an impeachment case unless there is a tie.
Belmonte said the new impeachment case against Gutierrez, the first to be filed against her in the new Aquino administration, would move accordingly.
?Definitely we will work within the framework allowed by the Constitution,? he said.
Under the Constitution, the complaint should be included in the House's Order of Business within 10 session days, and referred to the proper committee within three session days.
The committee is required to submit its report and resolution to the plenary within 60 session days after the complaint is referred to it. The resolution should be calendared for consideration within 10 session days.
The House opened its sessions on Monday, but the proceedings were devoted to the election of the new Speaker and other leaders.
Belmonte also said he only received a copy of the complaint Wednesday.
