Merci impeached as Ombudsman

Voting 39-12-1 for the Akbayan complaint and 39-6-1 for the Bayan complaint, the House Committee on Justice has just voted for the submission of an impeachment complaint against Merceditas Gutierrez as the country's Ombudsman. 


The vote signified the finding of  probable cause against Gutierrez for alleged violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. These accusations stemmed from allegations that Gutierrez sat on the many complaints of graft against former Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her lackeys.


Gutierrez impeachment came on the heels of two shocking incidents: the call of President Noynoy Aquino to members of the Liberal party to put together a force that will realize Gutierrez's impeachment and the Supreme Court's decision clearing the way for her impeachment.


To formalize the recommendations, the Committee on Justice has to file an Article of Impeachment and for the plenary to vote. If the House votes, then, the complaint of impeachment shall be submitted to the Senate. 


There, at the Senate, the case of Gutierrez will be heard.


Gutierrez has been heard crying "politics" in the proceedings. Well, impeachment proceedings are really political exercises.


Now, the only concern of pro-Merci impeachment is this---the entire process is running out of time. Congress will adjourn in the next few weeks. 


The effects of impeachment are myriad but let us subsume this into two: first, the probable cause finding signifies a filing of administrative charges at the very least against the impeached officer and second, the possible discovery of other crimes committed and possible filing even of criminal charges should this progress at the Senate.


Gutierrez is a goner. She has two(2) options to protect herself and her benefactors---resign now before this breaks out into a more serious chapter. The more this issue drags, the more likely the discovery of other cases against her.