CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A former prosecutor in the impeachment trial of former Pres. Estrada in the House said yesterday that the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Guetierrez would eventually be determined by the “public pulse”, not necessarily by the strength of evidence nor the political leanings of senators.
This city’s Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, who was congressman and prosecutor in the Estrada impeachment trial in 2001, said that in the Senate, the fate of Gutierrez would be “a question of numbers, no matter the evidence.”
“But in my experience, public pulse will have a tremendous impact and this will sway the senators,” said Rodriguez who played a significant role in the trial of Estrada by introducing Clarissa Ocampo, then senior vice president of the Equitable PCI Bank, who testified on Estrada’s Jose Velarde account.
Rodriguez, who is also now president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), said that “if the public pulse is really against Meceditas Gutierrez, then the great probability is that she will be impeached.”
With 23 senators, including Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in the Senate, at least 16 votes or two-thirds votes of senator-judges would be needed for the impeachment of Gutierrez. Only eight votes are required for her acquittal.
At least five Liberal Party senators, namely Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Serge Osmena, and Teofisto Guingona III, as well as senators Chiz Escudero and Antonio Trillanes IV are expected to fully support the impeachment move.
Earlier, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. announced the members of the prosecution team which will appear at the Senate when it convenes as impeachment court on May 9.
Those named to the team with links to the previous administration were Reps. Reynaldo Umali (Mindoro Oriental), Elpidio Barzaga (Cavite), Romero Quimbo (Marikina), and Magtanggol Gunigundo (Valenzuela). The other members are Raul Daza (Northern Samar), Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite), Arlene Bag-ao (Akbayan) and Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna).
Designated head of the team was Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, chair of the committee on justice. Vice chairs are Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III.
Tupas said he did not see any problem with the inclusion of members allied with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as three of them voted “yes” to impeaching Gutierrez while Barzaga abstained.
Gutierrez was impeached for “betrayal of public trust” due to her inaction on several corruption charges filed against Arroyo and her family, such as the fertilizer fund scam and the NBN-ZTE deal anomalies.
This city’s Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, who was congressman and prosecutor in the Estrada impeachment trial in 2001, said that in the Senate, the fate of Gutierrez would be “a question of numbers, no matter the evidence.”
“But in my experience, public pulse will have a tremendous impact and this will sway the senators,” said Rodriguez who played a significant role in the trial of Estrada by introducing Clarissa Ocampo, then senior vice president of the Equitable PCI Bank, who testified on Estrada’s Jose Velarde account.
Rodriguez, who is also now president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), said that “if the public pulse is really against Meceditas Gutierrez, then the great probability is that she will be impeached.”
With 23 senators, including Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in the Senate, at least 16 votes or two-thirds votes of senator-judges would be needed for the impeachment of Gutierrez. Only eight votes are required for her acquittal.
At least five Liberal Party senators, namely Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Serge Osmena, and Teofisto Guingona III, as well as senators Chiz Escudero and Antonio Trillanes IV are expected to fully support the impeachment move.
Earlier, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. announced the members of the prosecution team which will appear at the Senate when it convenes as impeachment court on May 9.
Those named to the team with links to the previous administration were Reps. Reynaldo Umali (Mindoro Oriental), Elpidio Barzaga (Cavite), Romero Quimbo (Marikina), and Magtanggol Gunigundo (Valenzuela). The other members are Raul Daza (Northern Samar), Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite), Arlene Bag-ao (Akbayan) and Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna).
Designated head of the team was Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, chair of the committee on justice. Vice chairs are Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III.
Tupas said he did not see any problem with the inclusion of members allied with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as three of them voted “yes” to impeaching Gutierrez while Barzaga abstained.
Gutierrez was impeached for “betrayal of public trust” due to her inaction on several corruption charges filed against Arroyo and her family, such as the fertilizer fund scam and the NBN-ZTE deal anomalies.