House transmits articles of impeachment to Senate

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The House of Representatives has formally transmitted to the Senate the articles of impeachment against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the justice committee, led a group of congressmen who trooped to the Senate on Wednesday to personally hand Resolution 105 containing six articles of impeachment against the Ombudsman to Senate Secretary Emma Reyes.

But the Senate, which will serve as an impeachment court, has yet to approve its rules in the plenary before it could start proceedings against the Ombudsman.

“We will approve it tonight, by hook or by crook,” Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in an interview with reporters.

The Senate can only convene as an impeachment court once the rules are approved.

But since Congress will take a break this week, Sotto said the impeachment trial could start when it resumes its sessions on May 9.