MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE) The chairman of the committee at the House of Representatives tasked to tackle the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez won?t inhibit himself from the proceedings despite a motion for him to do so out of ?propriety.?

Davao del Sur Representative Marc Douglas Cagas IV filed the motion against Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr.?s participation in the proceedings to ensure that they would be ?unbiased and impartial?.

But Tupas said he would not inhibit from the hearings.

Referring to the rules of impeachment, Tupas said it was not for the committee to decide whether its member should participate or not from the proceedings.

?The chairman will not abdicate his duties?. And the chairman will proceed with utmost impartiality,? Tupas said.

Siding with Cagas, Iloilo Representative Ferjenel Biron raised the case of Tupas?, father, former Iloilo governor Niel Tupas Sr., pending before the Ombudsman.

?In pursuit of the straight path and with respect to the very issue of propriety and for the information of everyone, the father of the chairman was found guilty by the Ombudsman on April 15, 2010 ruling, of dishonesty and grave misconduct and in fact the information has been filed before the Sandiganbayan,? Biron said.

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez agreed that the matter should be settled first.

But Tupas said the panel should first settle a motion by Ilocos Norte Rodolfo Farinas for the members to vote on the sufficiency in form of the first impeachment complaint against Gutierrez.

Deputy speaker Raul Daza also said that the move of Cagas and Biron was untimely and appeared to delay the proceedings.

Marikina Representative Romero Federico Quimbo said the matter of inhibition was a personal choice and should not be decided by the panel.