MANILA, APRIL 18, 2011 (STANDARD) by Christine F. Herrera - OMBUDSMAN Merceditas Gutierrez goes on trial before an impeachment court in the Senate May 9, but the real target of the proceedings is former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo, one of the complainants said over the weekend.
"There should be no doubt in the minds of the public prosecutors that the impeachment of Gutierrez is aimed at going after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," said Renato Reyes, secretary general of the left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and an impeachment complainant.
"The strength of the impeachment rests on this premise. It is on this basis that the public has thrown its support behind efforts to remove Merci [Gutierrez]. We expect nothing less from the [impeachment] panel even if some of them are identified with the previous regime."
The Senate had notified the House that the impeachment trial would begin at 2 pm on May 9, said Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., head of the 11-member panel of prosecutors, who will be assisted by 10 private lawyers. The senators will sit as judges during the impeachment.
Before Congress went into recess, the House named Tupas, House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III, and House Assistant Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte as members of the panel.
To complete the team, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte named House Deputy Speaker Raul Daza of Samar, Reps. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Cavite, Miro Quimbo of Marikina, Arlene Kaka Bag-ao of Akbayan, Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna, Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela, Reynaldo Umali of Misamis Oriental, and Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House committee on appropriations.
Abaya has been designated team manager.
Belmonte said the House panel would be given P5 million in initial funding for the impeachment.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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