SC stops Merci’s impeachment, 8-3 By Benjamin B. Pulta and Gerry Baldo 09/15/2010

House to defy high court’s status quo ante order 

SC stops Merci’s impeachment, 8-3

By Benjamin B. Pulta and Gerry Baldo
09/15/2010

Saved by the Supreme Court (SC) bell—at least for now.

A status quo ante order has been handed down by a polarized high court stopping the impeachment of controversial Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

In a two page resolution, the SC en banc through Assistant Clerk of Court Felipa Anama required parties “to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the Sept. 1, 2010 and Sept. 7, 2010 resolutions of the House committee on justice.”

Two leaders of the House of Representatives said the House is going to ignore the order of the SC suspending the impeachment proceedings against Gutierrez even under pain of contempt.

Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupaz and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III said the House committee on justice will continue with the impeachment proceedings despite the high court order, saying that the House, as a legislative body, is a co-equal body of government which is not under the judiciary..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100915hed1.html