‘Executive privilege’ to be revoked — Ochoa By Aytch S. de la Cruz 07/11/2010

But Gutierrez may have to stay — Lacierda ‘Executive privilege’ to be revoked — Ochoa By Aytch S. de la Cruz 07/11/2010 The notorious Executive Order No. 464 (EO 464) issued by former President Arroyo which clipped the investigating powers of Congress by requiring government officials summoned to legislative inquiries to first seek the President’s approval, which in turn was used by public officials as a ready excuse to avoid attending public hearings in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, will be revoked, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said. President Aquino is carefully studying options to revoke controversial orders issued by Arroyo, particularly EO 464 that allows senior executive officials and those in the police and the military to invoke “executive privilege” whenever they are asked to appear before any legislative inquiries. Ochoa told reporters who attended a Media Fellowship Night that he hosted last Thursday evening the Aquino government is currently considering every possible process that would enable them to right the wrongs committed by the previous administration. Ochoa, nevertheless, said nullifying EO 464 is not going to be an easy task given the intricacies involving in such ruling. “Everything is being studied. We really wanted to get the right formula such as ideas we have before that we needed to validate against realities in the office,” Ochoa said. Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda, meanwhile, backtracked on his statement last Friday that the Aquino administration is bent on replacing Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez owing to her questionable decisions in relation to the cases filed against high-profile public officials particularly those that involved Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100711hed1.html

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