8/7/2019 statement on dismissal of ombudsman impeachment
1/2
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Press Statement
30 September 2009
Neri Javier ColmenaresBAYAN MUNA Party List Representative
DismissalofImpeachmentComplaint:ImpunityamidstcalamityThedismissalofthe
impeachmentcomplaintagainstOmbudsmanMerciditasGuttierez
wasanotherblowtothebattleagainst impunity.
Despitethepleaofthemembersoftheminoritytobegiventheopportunitytostudytheargumentspresentedbythemajority,theJusticeCommitteedismissedtheimpeachmentcomplaintongroundsneverheardbeforeinany
impeachment complaint. The Majority mainly based its decision on
the followinggrounds:
(i)The impeachment complaint cannot entertain the issues in the
impeachmentcomplaint such as themegapacificdealbecause they
arependingbefore thecourts on appeal and therefore, the
Committeemust defer to the courts
andavoidpossibleconflictwithcourtdecisions.Furthermore,
itcannotevendiscusstheissuesbecausemostofthemaresubjudice.
(ii)TherearenoultimatefactsintheimpeachmentcomplaintThe
impeachmentproceeding is theonlymechanism left in theConstitution
tohold
accountablepublicofficials whoare immune fromcharges incourt.
Sincetheseofficials,liketheOmbudsman,cannotbechargedincourt,impeachmentthereforeistheonlyresortleft
for thepublicwho feel aggrieved by the acts of these officials. it
is absurd for
themajoritytoarguethatanimpeachmentcomplaintmustbedismissedbecausetheissuesinthatcomplaintarependingbeforethecourts.
Ifthereisanyconflictatall,itisthecourtinfactthatmustdefertotheimpeachmentproceedingsratherthantheotherwayaround.
There will be no occasion, however, for any conflict to exist
since the impeachmentchargesnowpending incourtsonappealsuchas
themegapacificdealor the Sec.NaniPerez case are different in nature
from the impeachment proceedings. Unlike in
theimpeachmentcasetheOmbudsmancannotbeimpeachedordeprivedofherofficeinanyofthesecourtcasestherebymakingitimpossibleforaconflictofdecisiontotakeplace.
Theonly issue that theCommitteeshould findatthisstage
iswhethertheallegationsandcharges,ifproven,constitutesanimpeachableoffense,thatisall.
Evenifcomplainantsarereadytopresentevidence,theevidenceorprooftosupporttheseallegationswillcomeat
thenextstagewhenthecommitteeholdsahearingonprobablecause.Todismiss
theimpeachmentcomplaints,therefore,forabsenceofultimate facts
isabsurdbecausethecomplaint is littered with many allegations that
show offenses committed by theOmbudsman. ThecaseofEurogenerals
forexample, isalreadycomplete in
itselfsince,Gen.EliseodelaPazhasofficiallyadmittedtohisillegalacts,notably(i)thatheauthorized
8/7/2019 statement on dismissal of ombudsman impeachment
2/2
thedisbursementof largeamountsofpublic funds tohimself,which
isaviolationofboththeCOA rulesandourantigraft laws; (b)
thathebroughtoutof thecountrymore thanUS$10,000
withoutdeclaringthesameinviolationofPhilippinelawsandrules.
Becauseoftheseadmissions,thereisevennoultimatefactthatneedstobeproveninthiscase.
Ifonlyfortheeurogeneralscase,theJusticeCommitteeshouldnotonlydeclaretheimpeachmentcomplaintsufficientinsubstancebutalso,thattheombudsmanshouldbeimpeachforsuchclear
transgression of her oath and Philippine laws for refusing to
prosecute the eurogeneralsdespitetheiradmissions.
Thedismissaldecisioncame,asswiftandasunthinking,asthestormOndoy.
Itwasas if themajoritydeclared that theremaybe a crime in the
fertilizer scam, or the eurogenerals case, or the mega pacific
deal, but there is no one that the Ombudsman shallprosecute. There
is a crime, but there is no criminal. Dismissal of the
impeachmentcomplaintwasavoteinfavorofimpunityinthemidstofcalamity.
