Ex-Ombudsman Gutierrez calls for Arroyo’s immediate release

Former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez (FILE PHOTO)

Former Ombudsman Merceditas “Merci” Gutierrez on Thursday called for the immediate release from detention of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In a statement, Gutierrez, who resigned after she was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2011, said Arroyo should be immediately released after the Supreme Court ruled to dismiss her plunder charge over the alleged diversion of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds from 2008 to 2010.

“The right to liberty is a God-given right enshrined and guaranteed under our Constitution. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was charged and detained for almost five years. The highest court of the land, the final arbiter has recently ruled for her acquittal,” said Gutierrez, an appointee of Arroyo in the Ombudsman.

Gutierrez said the ruling only meant Arroyo should be set free immediately “because she has that right as a citizen of this Republic.”

She appealed for respect for the decision to release Arroyo because “we are a nation governed by the rule of law, subject of the law, and must have respect for the rule of law.”

Gutierrez faced an impeachment trial in 2011 for the low conviction rate in the Ombudsman as well as for sitting on her duty to investigate complaints involving former President Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, over the allegedly anomalous National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with the Chinese ZTE Corp. (NBN-ZTE), those involving the fertilizer fund scam, and the “euro generals” scandal, among other issues.

These cases have been investigated and filed in the Sandiganbayan under the office of incumbent Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

Gutierrez resigned just days before the Senate held an impeachment trial against her.

She released the statement just before the Sandiganbayan ordered the release of Arroyo in deference to the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss her plunder case.

READ: Sandiganbayan orders Arroyo release, defers to SC

The Supreme Court dismissed for “insufficiency of evidence” the plunder charge filed against Arroyo for allegedly diverting P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds  for  her personal gain during her term as President./rga

READ: Arroyo OK on fund release not ‘overt act’ of plunder–SC