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Published July 12, 2010 | 
Ombudsman: Closeness to GMA no basis for impeachment
By Ira Pedrasa, abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines – Embattled Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez on Monday tried to fend off criticisms hurled against her credibility, saying a new impeachment complaint to be filed against her has no basis.
For the first time in months, the government official faced the public in a press conference that was also heavily attended—and several times applauded—by her own employees.
“As of now, there is no ground for me to be impeached,” she said.
In a prepared statement, Gutierrez said “in the discharge of our official functions, we adhere to the rule of law and the constitution, and in deciding cases we rely solely on evidence uncovered or presented to our investigators or prosecutors.”
She said her alleged closeness to her former boss, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, is not reason enough to be impeached.
Any resignation, despite pressures from the camp of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, is also thus out of the question, she said.
“I don’t think the president will pressure me. I have a term, the president knows I have a fixed term,” she said.
She admitted however that she can’t just shrug off the criticisms since it is already affecting her family.
“I know it’s part of the job. I have feelings because I am also a human being,” she said.
Gutierrez said her detractors failed to take note of her credentials, especially in her 38 years in government service “[that] I was never involved in any anomaly.”
“Ni isang sentimo, wala po ako ninakaw. Ewan ko lang po ang aking mga detractors,” she said.
Truth Commission
Amid the impeachment plans, the Office of the Ombudsman is ready to get down to work and cooperate with the Truth Commission to ferret out alleged injustices committed by the Arroyo administration, she said.
She said the office will “extend full appropriate assistance and cooperation to the Truth Commission in carrying out its mandate. I hope that some quarters stop prejudging the future actions of [former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.]…in the same way that this early, they are prejudging my actions.”
Despite the conflicts in the mandate of the Truth Commission and that of her office, Gutierrez said “we will have the same goal, that of being able to gather evidence so that when we find probable cause, we’ll be able to file the appropriate charges.”
She said her office is ready to share documents and other pieces of evidence that will be relevant to the investigations.
Inhibit
One of the issues that will be tackled by the Truth Commission is the fertilizer fund scam, a case currently being assessed by a fact-finding panel within the Office of the Ombudsman.
Gutierrez said she has already inhibited from the case, a decision she also made in another issue also involving the Arroyos–the shelved National Broadband Network project.
“Now I do not know whether I can give time to our prosecutors in the conduct of their investigation…I do not know whether the prosecutors can be given a deadline but I promise you and I have to direct them…pabilisan niyo lang po kung maaari ang pag-iimbestiga nitong scam,” she told other officials also in the room with her.
Impeachment proceedings to proceed
In a separate interview with ANC, Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao dismissed Gutierrez’s claims.
She said there is a good chance that the impeachment proceedings will become successful this time around.
“The violations committed by Ombudsman Gutierrez is present and our basis for saying that is because there is culpable violation of the Constitution and there is betrayal of public trust when she failed to prosecute the different cases,” she said.
The Constitution provides that an impeachment case can be filed anew a year after it was first filed in Congress. The last one filed was in September 2009.
She said there is already a number of lawmakers that will support the cause, even if Arroyo will be around to hamper the move.
Published June 30, 2010 | Thousands flocked to the post inaugural street party of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III Wednesday night at the Quezon Memorial Circle, with more still expected to come despite the bad weather, police authorities said.
Police Superintendent Audie Arroyo, deputy commander at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said the inaugural concert has drawn some 120,000 people as of 7:00 p.m., but authorities have recorded no untoward incident so far except for two cases of fainting.
“We have not received any untoward incident since we started operating here at 1 p.m.," Arroyo said, adding that almost 3,000 security personnel detailed at the venue are on top of the venue’s peace and order situation.
The concert’s security force is composed of personnel from the QCPD, Metro Manila Development Authority, Bureau of Fire Protection, Quezon City government’s public order and safety department, and the military's National Capital Region command.
About 100 personnel in civilian clothes from the Police National Training Institute have likewise been deployed to secure the venue.
The authorities are also securing the venue’s three entrance points to check for firearms, deadly weapons, and alcoholic drinks, Arroyo said.
Two command posts and four public assistance centers can be found throughout the concert venue, where complaints and untoward incidents can be reported.
“If there will be any violent incident that will happen, I am sure we can manage given the high number of police authorities we have here," Arroyo said.
Traffic and parking plans have also been put in place, he added.
A courtesy lane has been provided for Aquino and his party, who are expected to arrive around 9:30 p.m.
They are also expecting Vice President Jejomar Binay to drop by, according to Arroyo.
“There is normal flow of traffic except that we’ve allocated the two innermost lanes of the Elliptical Road for parking," he said.
The Quezon City Hall grounds are also being used for additional parking space.
Meanwhile, medical personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection and volunteers from Red Cross have reported they have attended to at least two cases of fainting.
Senior Inspector Bernadette Padua said one had to be brought to a hospital as the patient was mute and had difficulties communicating with the medical staff.
At least 15 ambulances are scattered all over the QMC to respond to cases needing medical attention, Padua said.
She added they also have arrangement with nearby hospitals, such as New Era Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital and National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
From all walks of life
People from all walks of life, mostly clad in Aquino’s trademark color yellow, braved slight rains in the evening and trooped to the post-inaugural street party’s venue to see their new president in person.
Manobo tribal leader Alma Binayao flew all the way from Bukidnon just to witness Aquino’s inauguration and street party.
“Gusto naming makita si Noynoy at makiusap na sana mabigay na ang lupa sa mga katutubo sa Mindanao (We want to see Noynoy and hopefully talk to him about distributing lands to Mindanao people)," she said in an interview.
She added that she hopes that Aquino will also focus on bringing lasting peace to the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
Lisa Cuaderno, a housewife from Caloocan City, meanwhile said she had to skip breakfast and lunch just to be able to watch the inauguration and attend the post inaugural concert.
“Tiniis ko talaga ang init at gutom para lang makita si Noynoy. Masaya kami na siya na ang pangulo dahil nararamdaman namin na siya ang pag-asa ng bayan (Despite the hot weather and the hunger, we were happy to see Noynoy. We really believe he is the answer to our country's problems)," she said in a separate interview.
Cuaderno, who came to the venue in her yellow polo shirt, denim pants, and slippers, said she also hopes to see Aquino sing during the concert.
“Kahit wala nang artista, basta hihintayin kong kumanta si Noynoy (I don't care about the celebrities, I just want to see Noynoy sing)," she said.
Aquino reportedly prepared a song number for his post-inaugural party, which will be attended by at least 30 showbiz personalities.
Expected to perform in the concert are Ogie Alcasid, Gary Valenciano and Arnel Pineda of American rock band Journey.
Other celebrities who confirmed their attendance in the street party – mostly those who supported Aquino during the campaign— include Gabby Concepcion, Billy Crawford, Anne Curtis, Jed Madela, Coco Martin, Nina, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Jake Cuenca, Mariel Rodriguez, Jay-R, Kyla, and Vhong Navarro. – RJAB Jr/KBK, GMANews.TV
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