Summation of the Impeachment Complaint Substance_ Against the Ombudsman

8/8/2019 Summation of the Impeachment Complaint Substance_ Against the Ombudsman

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SUMMATIONOFTHECASESPRESENTEDBYTHEMINORITYBLOC:TheImpeachmentComplaintagainsttheOmbudsmanMerceditasGuttierezissufficientinsubstance

Rep.NeriJavierColmenares(BayanMuna)

According to the Rules on Impeachment of the House of Representatives, substance issufficientlyestablishedifanimpeachmentcomplaintcontainsarecitaloffactsconstitutingtheoffensecharged and determinative of the jurisdiction of the committee. In determining sufficiency insubstance,therefore,theissuesthatshouldbetackledbytheJusticeCommitteearelimitedto:

(i) Doestherecitaloffactsconstitutetheoffensecharged?Thissimplymeansthat,presumingtheallegationsinthecomplaints aretrue, theseallegationshall

constitutetheoffensechargedsuchthat,forexample, inanImpeachmentComplaintwhichchargestheoffenseofcorruptiontheCommitteeonlyneedtoask whethertheactsallegedinthecomplaintindeedconstitutecorruption. Onthechargeofpurposelyshieldingcertainpublicofficialsfromprosecutioninthe complaint at bar, the Committee only needs to resolve whether the act of shielding indeedconstitutesbetrayal ofpublictrust.TheJusticeCommitteedoesnotneedto look into,at least inthisstage,whetherthereisevidencetoprovethattherewasintentionalfailuretoinvestigateorprosecute,since thiswill be tackled in the next stagewhere the Committee aims to establishwhether or notprobable

cause

exist.

It

is

in

the

probable

cause

hearing

stage

where

evidence

may

be

presented

to

proveordisproveprobablecause. If thecommitteewilltackleat thisstage the issueofwhethertheallegationsaretrueor if it issupportedbyevidence,thenthere isnothingtoresolve intheprobablecausehearing stage. If the committee finds that the allegations, even if theywere true, does notconstituteanoffense,thenthecomplaintshallbedismissedforinsufficiencyinsubstance.

(ii) DoestheoffensechargefallwithinthejurisdictionoftheJusticeCommitteesjurisdiction?

Theissuehereiswhethertheoffenseschargedinthecomplaintindeedconstituteatleastoneofthegrounds for impeachmentundertheConstitution.Even if theallegationsdoconstituteanoffensebuttheveryoffenseisnotamongtheimpeachmentoffensesundertheConstitutionthentheCommitteedoesnothavejurisdictionovertheoffensessincenoneoftheoffenses,evenifproventrue,canresultintheimpeachmentofthepublicofficial.


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IfthecommitteefindsthatiftheallegationsconstituteanyoftheimpeachmentoffensesundertheConstitution,presuming theyaretrue, then thecomplaintshallbethenconsideredsufficient insubstance. OnlyafterthisdeterminationcantheCommitteegettothenextstagethat stagewherethe JusticeCommitteeaims to findout if there isevidence to support theallegationsand there isprobablecausetoimpeachthesaidpublicofficial.

Endorsers of herein Impeachment Complaint find that the allegations in the complaintconstituteasimpeachmentoffensesundertheConstitution,andthecomplaint,therefore,issufficientinsubstance. TheEndorsers,therefore,askthecommitteetofindthesamesufficientinsubstancesothat theproceedingscanmove forwardand requireboth thecomplainantsand the respondents topresentevidenceoftheirrespectiveclaims.

TheAllegationsconstituteimpeachmentoffensesundertheConstitutionThere is a crime but no criminal. The Supreme Court and the Senate found crimes were

committedbymembersoftheArroyoadministrationbuttheOmbudsmannotonlyfailedtoprosecutebutevenfailedto investigatethesepublicofficials. There isa crime,buttheOmbudsmandoesnotwanttochargethecriminal. Thisisthecontext withinwhichtheombudsman isbeingcharged,notonlywith dereliction of duty but also of intentionalmisuse of office to harass opponentswhilecoveringupforalliesofthe government.

LawswereviolatedinthecaseoftheEurogeneralswhoevenadmittedtotheirillegalactsbuttheOmbudsmandidnotseethemfit forprosecution.Such inaction isanultimatefactwhich iftrueconstitutestheimpeachableoffenseofbetrayalofpublictrust.

LawswereviolatedinthefertilizerscambuttheOmbudsmanfailedtoact onchargesfiledwiththeOmbudsman as early as 2004 and failed to prosecute formerUsec Jocjoc Bolante despite themisuseofhundredsofmillionsofpesos inoverpriced fertilizerdistributed to fakeNGOsduring theelectioncampaignofPres.GloriaArroyo. ThisisanultimatefactwhichifproventrueconstitutestheimpeachableoffenseofbetrayalofpublictrustandculpableviolationoftheConstitution.

While ittooktheOmbudsmanyearstofileadefectivecaseagainstSec.NaniPerez,ittooktheOmbudsman a short period to file cases against opponents of the Ombudsman and the Arroyoadministration suchasGov.NielTupasandGov.EnriqueGarcia. This isanultimate factwhich if


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proventrueconstitutesthe impeachableoffenseofbetrayalofpublictrustandculpableviolationoftheConstitution.

In short, theOmbudsmanmisused and abused her office in violation of the constitutionalmandate thatpublicofficialsareaccountable to thepeopleatall times,not some times,butatalltimesandthatsheshouldperformhertaskwithintegrityandefficiency.

Atthevery least,thisHonorableCommittee,mustfindsomethingwrongwithanombudsmanwhofindsnoreasontoinvestigateeveniftheSupremeCourtortheSenatedeclaresthatacrimewascommitted in a public transaction. At the very least this Honorable Committee should find theOmbudsman impeachable forviolating the constitutional requirement that theOmbudsman shouldactpromptlyoncomplaints,inanyform,againstpublicofficials.

TheOmbudsmanMerciditasGuttierez,justlikePres.GloriaArroyo,isimmunefromsuit. Theonly accountability mechanism left against immune public officials like the respondent, is themechanismofimpeachment. ToimpeachtheOmbudsmanisnottantamounttofindingherguilty.Animpeachment merely means that charges before the Senate may be filed against her so thatevidences,whetherinherfavororagainsther,maybepresentedbyherorbyheraccusers.

This Honorable Committee is asked to give life to this accountability mechanism not byconstruing the rules inher favor,but injudiciously interpreting the rules in favorof thepeople, infavor of accountabilityfor after all, public officials are accountable to the people at all times.Imposiblenangangkasuhanangmgaopisyalna itodahil sa immunitynila,pahirapanpanatinangtaongbayannanaglakasngloobnamagsampangimpeachment. Anyway,hindinamanmakukulongsiOmbudsmankungmaimpeachsiya.Dirinsiyamatatanggalsapuwestokungmaimpeachsiya.Angmangyarilangaymagkakaroonngprosesonakungsaansiyaatangnaghahablaaymagkakaroonngoportunidadnamagpresintangkanyakanyangebidensiya.

Sabiniombudsman,handasiyangharapinangmgabintangsakanya.Handasiyangmagpresintangebidensiyaparakontrahinangmgabintang sakanya. Sinobanaman tayo saKomiteng ito,anghahadlangparabigyansiyangoportunidadnalinisinangpangalanniya.

Pagnagsampakangkasosakorte, inuutusanngjudgeangakusadongsumagotdipoba. Pagnagsampa ka ng reklamo sa piskal, inuutusan ng piskal ang akusado na mag submit ng counteraffidavitdipoba? AngtungkulinngKomitengitoayhindiangIdismissangcomplaintkundiutusansi


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OmbudsmanGuttiereznasumagotparamagpaliwanag.Whatthiscommitteeneedstodoatthisstageismerelytofindout ifthecomplaintallegesfactswhich, ifproventrue,constitutesan impeachableoffense within the jurisdiction of this committee. Thats all. These allegations, even if they aresupported by evidence, need not be proved at this stage, otherwise there is nothing that thisCommitteeneedstofindoutinthenextstagewhichisthefindingofprobablecause.

Ang kailangang alamin ng komite sa yugtong ito ay kung ang complaint ba ay may mgaalegasyonnakungmapatunayangtotooayimpeachableoffense.

Publicofficialsareaccountabletothepeopleatalltimes,notsometimes,notafewtimesbutat all times. Ang Ombudsman ay may tungkuling pangalagaan ang interes ng mamamayan atimbistigahanatkasuhanangsinumanggumawanganumanaksyongnakapinsalasasambayanan. Sahalip, ginamit niya ang kanyang kapangyarihan para pagtakpan ang mgamay salang kakampi ngadministrasyon habang mabilis niyang kinakasuhan ang mga kalaban niya o kalaban ngadministrasyongArroyo.Atdahildiyan,kailanganmaimpeachsiyaparasiyaaymakasuhanathayaannamailabasangmgaebidensiyangpabororkontrasakanyaparamalamanangkatotohanankungsiyaaymaysala.

Yonlangpoanghinihingiditosayugtongito.Ang sabi ng complainants pag kaaway ng administrasyong Arroyo or ng ombudsman ang

akusadomabilispasaalaskwatroangOmbudsmannamagsampangkaso. Perokungkakampingadministrasyonangkinakasuhan, taonangaabutinbagomag sampangkasoangombudsmanatsamaramingbesesaydipasiyanagsampangkasolabansamgakakampingito. ItoaypagaabusongOmbudsmansakanyangkapangyarihanatdahilditosiyaaydapatmaimpeach.

BakitwalangkrimengnakitaangombudsmansaFertilizerScamnakungsaanmilyongmilyungpisoangnawalanoongpresidentialelectionnoong2004?

Bakitwalang krimeng nakita ang ombudsman sa kaso ng euro generals ng umaming patagonilang nilabas sa bansa ang pera ng taumbayan nang hindi lamang sumunod sawasto at legal naproseso?

Bakit agad agad may nakitang krimen ang Ombudsman kapag ang kinasuhan ay kaaway ooppositionkatuladnjGov.TupasatGov.Garcia?

May substanceangcomplaintnanagsasabingrecitaloffactsna:


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(i) Hindinag imbistigaonagsampangkasoangOmbudsmankahitnasinabingKorteSupremanamayiregularidadsaMegapacificdeal.

(ii) MaysubstanceangcomplaintnanagsasabingrecitaloffactsnawalangginawangimbistigasyonopagsampangkasomanlangangOmbudsma labansaeurogeneralskahitnasilayumaminngpaglabagsabatas.

(iii)May substance ang complaint namay recital of facts na nagsasabing hindi inimbistigahan osinampaanngkasosiUsecJocjocBolanteatibapangkasabwatnitosafertilizerscam.

(iv)Atmaysubstancedinsaibangalegasyonnakasangkotangworldbank,atibapangmgakaso.

LuluhoddinangmgatalaKungmay krimen,may kriminal. Kungmay sala,may nagkasala. Kung ating I dismiss ang

complaintnaitoparangsinasabingkomitengitonawalangkrimensafertilizerscam,parangsinabingKomitengitonawalangkrimensaeurogeneralsscandal, parangsinasabingKomitengitonawalangkrimensaMegaPacificdeal,at walangkrimensabiddingngmgakontratasaWorldBank.

Whatexiststoday iscomplete impunity. Impunityreignswhenonecommitsacrimeandgetsawaywith it. Ifwe findnosubstance in thiscomplaint, thenwearebreeding thekindof impunitywhereonecommitsacrimeandknowsshecangetawaywithit.

TherewillcomeatimewhenjusticewillcatchupwiththosewhocommittedcrimesagainsttheFilipinopeople,againstthosewhofloutedourlawsandtrampledonhumanrights. Theirpatronswillnotbeforeverinpower,andthecorrupt willgetthejusticetheysorichlydeserve. DaratingdinangarawnaangmgaarogantengpublicofficialsnagumawangkrimensailalimngArroyoadministrationaymapaparusahan. Bukas,luluhoddinangmgatala.

Public officials are accountable to the people at all times. Let us give life to this theconstitutionalmechanismofaccountability.LetusfindthiscomplaintagainstOmbudsmanMerceditasGuttierezsufficientinsubstance.

Documents

Summation of the Impeachment Complaint Substance_ Against the Ombudsman