Groups Urge Aquino to Remove Gutierrez as Ombudsman to Show Seriousness in Prosecuting Arroyo Published on October 16, 2010

Groups Urge Aquino to Remove Gutierrez as Ombudsman to Show Seriousness in Prosecuting Arroyo

Published on October 16, 2010

Progressive groups have taken two tracks in their efforts to remove Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez – the filing of an impeachment complaint and urging President Benigno Aquino II to remove Gutierrez – because, they said, Gutierrez is the biggest obstacle to the prosecution of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – The impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez plays a crucial role in the prosecution of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her cohorts. Gutierrez’s perceived loyalty to the Arroyos has prevented and would continue to prevent her from making the right judgment in the plunder cases that have and will be filed against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said in a statement.

Bayan is a respondent in the impeachment complaint filed before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice. Two impeachment complaints against Gutierrez have been filed in Congress, one by former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros, and another by Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes, Mother Mary John Mananzan, co-chairwoman of Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change, national president of Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) Ferdie Gaite, Atty. Edre U. Olalia, secretary general of National Union Peoples’ Lawyer (NUPL), Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) secretary general Danilo Ramos and League of Filipino Student (LFS) chairman Terry Ridon, respectively.

“Ms. Gutierrez has held the position of the Ombudsman for five years, but until now she has not prosecuted nor was she able to hold accountable erring government officials involved in a number of high-profile cases of graft and corruption. Instead, she has allowed her office to be used as an instrument for covering up the impropriety of the previous administration,” Pagbabago said in an open letter addressed to the House of Representatives, asking the lawmakers to support the impeachment complaint against Gutierrez.

Pagbabago said Gutierrez, an appointee of Arroyo, has been ignoring cases involving Arroyo, her family and other high-ranking government officials such as those named in the impeachment complaint. The cases include the NBN-ZTE deal, the fertilizer fund scam, the Mega Pacific deal, the Hello Garci scandal, and the Euro Generals scandal, all of which have already been found anomalous either by the Senate or by the Supreme Court..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/10/16/groups-urge-aquino-to-remove-gutierrez-as-ombudsman-to-show-seriousness-in-prosecuting-arroyo/