At about the time I learned that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigned (noon of April 29, 2011), a friend texted that Gloria Arroyo and members opf her family arrived in San Francisco,U.S.A.
“They didn’t have any luggage ,“ the informant said adding that “Many Pinoys saw them at the airport, including Pinoy waiter at Mcdo who just texted.“
The informant added his own analysis of what he saw : “They fled to avoid arrest when they knew that knew their protector was about to resign.“
Sen Antonio Trillanes IV issued a statement on the resignation of Gutierrez from Boracay where he is attending a wedding of a Magdalo officer :“It’s a relief for everyone, including herself.“
He said,“Also we can revert back to our normal legislative schedule in the Senate so that we can tackle the more important legislative matters.“
Sen. Loren Legarda, who was also in Boracay said, “The resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is a fitting act to preserve the integrity of the Office of the Ombudsman. After all, the country’s lead anti-graft agency and its officials should be free from controversy in order to effectively carry out their mandated tasks.
She added :“This now brings to a close the impeachment trial. In effect, the government will save a lot of money, which can be used for other essential needs of our people.
While she expressed the hope that the Senate can keep its concentration on important legislation, she said the “fight against corruption is something we shall never put to rest.“
Rep. Jack Enrile also welcomed the news on the resignation of Gutierrez.
He said “That she submitted her resignation to the President personally shows that amity and diplomacy still exists despite the bruising impact of the impeachment in the HOR“
“More importantly,“ he added that with the resignation, the country is saved from further division and recrimination that would surely result with the impeachment trial.
“Let us settle down and face the challenges on escalating prices, hunger and jobs together,“Enrile said.
Lawyer Harry Roque, a critic of Gutierrez, said,“ I am happy she spared the nation from the spectacle and expense of a trial.
He hopes President Aquino will appoint an ombudsman who will make the office relevant in upholding public accountability.
“I hope the new ombudsmanwill also heed the alston report and embrace the challenge for the ombudsman also to deal with human rights violations, Roque said.
Gutierrez’s resignation is effective May 6.
Sorry for the delay in posting article on Merciditas Gutierrez. Except for the fact that there are sooo many people here in Boracay, the sun,the water, the place, and the weather is just perfect for relaxation.
Plus we attended a most beautiful wedding yesterday.
Before OMG resigned, there was a newspaper report that GMA was going abroad for speaking engagement. Naisip ko lang, ano kaya ang magiging topic nya sa kanyang speech when her audience by then are already aware that she has cases of plunder filed in the courts. Pero itong biglang pagbitiw ni OMG, parang may connection. Pakiramdam ko, isang arrangement ito para makaiwas si GMA na mabitbit nang husto sa impeachment sa Senado. Parang pinoprotektahan pa rin ni OMG si GMA hanggang sa huling sandali.
uuwi pa kya c pandak?????
I nominate Rene Augusto V. Saguisag.
The truth suffers again with Merci’s resignation. Sayang, nakaladkad sana ng todo si putot sa impeachment hearings. Kontra sa iba, ayoko na nag-resign si Merceditas, gusto ko sanang nakita at narinig kung paano sya nakatahi sa mga katarantaduhan ni Gloria.
Baka ang bagong Ombudsman, si Hilario Davide, para talagang impartial ang Office Ombudsman to convict GuLo-Rya of Garci-garci o kaya NTN-broadband. Kung hindi iyon, maski Le Circqe. Anything.
“A top member of the once-ruling Lakas-Kampi, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, because of the delicate nature of the issue, Gutierrez quit her post because of mental anguish and lack of support from Arroyo”.
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Too bad. The feeling, after all, was not mutual. While Gloria and her family are in America enjoying the sights and sounds of SFO with stolen money, Merci was left out to dry. Much like Angelo Reyes before her, Merci, in the eyes of Gloria, had outlived her usefulness. Partners in crime while it lasted. Minahal niya si Gloria pero hindi na siya mahal ni Gloria. Now she’s on her own. Somebody………..please…………give her a gun !!
Merci’s resignation will have a positive result only to pinoys if Pnoy will appoint as Ombusdman the likes of Rene Saguisag (yes to atty sax) and Harry Roque who don’t have political affiliations with the current leadership, they are independent thinkers at walang babayarang utang na loob.
Kung isa na namang kaeskwela, kaibigan ng pamilya, barkada o kaya ay isa pang Davide o Berto Romulo ay wala rin aasahang pagbabago sa iiwanang opis ni Merci.
<<<<<<Merceditas Gurierrez
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Yeah right !! Lokohin mo ang lelang mo. Besides, it is too late for that now.
Oooooops—–mali (sorry). Take -2…
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“it is my fervent hope that the misconception bred that having been appointed to public office by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, I owed my allegiance to her and am accountable only to her, and not to the Filipino people and the Constitution, be discarded and laid to rest. “While I acknowledge with deep gratitude the opportunity given me by … Arroyo, my undivided loyalty always was, is and will forever remain, to the Constitution and the Filipino people,” –Merceditas Gurierrez
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Yeah, right !! Lokohin mo ang lelang mo ! Besides, it is too late for that now.
Isa pang connection ay ang confirmation na ginawa ni Rep. Danny Suarez (Quezon)na nasa abroad nga si GMA. May communication sila, siempre naman. Tapos, sinabi rin nya na nakausap nya si OMG bago ito nag-resign at ayon daw kay OMG, hindi alam ni GMA na siya’y magre-resign. Bilang magka-alyado, hindi kapani-paniwala na hindi sila naguusap sa planong pag-a-abroad ni GMA na susundan ng pagbibitiw ni OMG. It’s unbilibaboy.
Ang nag ngingitngit ngayon ay si Rep. Edcel Lagman dahil sa todo bigay nyang pagtatanggol kay OMG pero kakalas din pala.
Sa isang banda, baka naman kaya kasama ni GMA ang kanyang pamilya in going to US ay para manood ng sagupaang Pacquiao-Mosley. Pero May 9 yun dito sa Pinas at opening ng Congress. Absent silang mag-i-ina bilang mga kinatawan. At kung magkaganun, lolobo ang haka-haka na hindi sila reresbak para umiwas sa mga kasong kinakaharap. Bilang mambabatas, lalong magiging complicated ang kanilang buhay kung lalabag sila sa kalakaran ng batas.
Joe, kaya nga biglang lumipad sa Frisco ang mag-asawang korap ay dahil sa resignation ni Merci. Palagi naman silang biglang layas Pinas kung merong mangyayaring kinatatakutan nila.
Naglinis pati sila ng kanilang building sa SF, inihahanda para sa pzgtakas nila sa Pinas.
Siguro nagpaalam o sinabihan ni OMG si pandak na magreresign na siya, kaya, hayun tumakbo na sa states. Kung bumalik pa siya dapat may hold departure order na para walang kawala, otherwise, mahaba na namang process katulad noong kay Jocjoc, at pagdating niya tuloy agad sa ospital, o kung anong script siya mayroon.
Good riddance, although I hate to see her go until she paid her dues for conspiring and protecting the thieves in the previous admin. For some reasons besides her own, she may have done what she thinks as the most viable easy way out, unable to withstand the pressure from all sides of the political landscape.
Malacanang has been pointing to Merci as the stumbling block in their fight against corruption and pursuit of a “matuwid na daan”. Now that she’s gone, Noynoy and company can no longer use her as an excuse if corruption still persists in the government, so they have to work harder to eradicate corruption that will ultimately benefit and uplift the lives of the poor, in consonance with his spiel “kung walang corrupt walang mahirap” slogan.
“Sweet dreams” kay PNOY… bangungot kay GMA.
“One step forward” sa matuwid na daan, “too many steps forward” patungong Frisco.
Umaasa pa rin na gaganda ang pamumuhay ng bawat Pilipino
sa anim na taong pamumuno ni PNOY.
Sabi nga ni Manong Johnny Enrile, dapat daw ay handang mamatay sa pagpapatupad ng kanyang tungkulin ang dapat hiranging bagong Ombudsman. Baka hindi kaya ng isang Atenista yun. Kaklase man o barkada.
I nominate Mang Rene Saguisag too.
Sana nga si Rene Saguisag na lang. Mam Ellen paratingin po natin sa JBC ang nomination natin kay Rene Saguisag. Kaya lang baka matakot si Pnoy na pati mga kabarkada nya ay makasuhan ni Mang Rene.
Sana nga makahanap si PNoy ng qualified na Ombudsman bilang kahilili ni OMG. While Rene Saguisag is OK, I think he’s so not active now unlike before maybe because of that tragic accident he met which left him devastated with the untimely death of his wife.
I have in mind Koko Pimentel, 47, as next Ombudsman. Being a bar topnotcher and no doubt carries the desire for good governance and the dynamism of former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr, Koko will be a good choice to fill the position until 2012. His electoral protest notwithstanding, he might as well be the Ombudsman, speed up the resolution of long pending and unacted cases piled up at the Office of the Ombudsman so that in 2013, mayroon na siyang puhuan and he can run again as Senator.
Mabuti nag resign si merci..hindi na makapal ang mukha niya…
good decision ang ginawa ni Mercy…timing talaga..
Basta ang dapat kunin ni Noynoy na Ombudsman ay iyong desididong i-convict si GMA maski ano ang galing ng abogado ni Gulo-RRya. Kaya nga nasa constitution ang Ombudsman office, eh — para tulungan ang presidente.
Ellen, enjoy your vacation muna, hehehe. Masisira ang araw mo pag si Putot na naman ang iisipin mo diyan.
Sa tingin ko malabong i-pwesto si Koko Pimentel dahil hindi siya hagip ng sirkulo no PNyoy… I second the motion rin sa pag-nominate ni Atty. Sax kay Atty. Rene Saguisag. Pwede siyang i-appoint ni PNyoy dahil nagslbi siya nung si Cory ang nakaupong presidente.
yes, rene saguisag for ombudsman, give him another chance, the coup plotters never gave him any during cory’s time.
Kung gusto na lang ni Mang Rene na tuluyang magretiro, basta si Harry Roque ang bata ko para Ombudsman.
my two cents..removing mercy is not enough to fix the ombudsman office. Dami pa rin duon na dapat natanggal na nuon pa yung mga mahilig dumukot ng kaso too delay for a fee, yung mga nanggigipit for a fee, at yung iba na nanahimik basta maabutan lang..they don’t deserve to be there! so kahit sinong ilagay duon tapos andun pa rin ang mga ito sayang lang ang hirap natin. no wonder malingkot ang anibersaryo nila sa pag alis ni mercy..di kaya dahil mababawasan tongpats nila??
Kung lilinisin linisin ng maayos, kasuhan ang dapat kasuhan para di na maulit ang corrupt na ombudsman!
tama lang si olan.
This Subject or Issue is an interesting to give some commentaries: First,about the Ombudsman replacement,I prepare also,either one of the 3-names mentioned,Rene Saguisag,Harry Roque, or Koko Pimental ( there are also good and promising, though maybe not yet ready or prepared.I can mention, Atty Bert “Toto” Causing,NPC, Atty Harvey Keh, of “Kaya Natin Movement” or any Lawyer member of the awakened group for a change ).We don’t want an appointed Ombudsman who come closely, or to the knitted circle of the Aquinos, such as Romulo, Davide ( weak loyalty ),i.e..
About the GMA-Arroyo’s family who immediately traveled to US before the OMG resignation.This scenario is very frustrating. It shows how the family took the advantage, and destroy the good prospective leaders of the country ( late Gen. Angie Reyes,Ligot-Garcia,Bolante,Garci,late FPJ, Erap, Davide, i.e, and lately, the OMG ).There are two type of theives,one who is in power(
executive,influential,etc..)whose actions were tolerated by laws, and voraciously consumed the wealth of the nation. The other one is done by a “hungry” stomach who sacrifice lives just to feed their own family, and the law brought them into jail to get rot forever and humiliated.
With the above observation, the 111-years old Justice System in the country needs “re-innovation” or amendment to cater a ” true balance of justice “,for the wealthy and the poor peoples. How about the ” Jury System ” ?…
I would have wanted to see the impeachment trial. The resignation of OMG will only give GMAs gang more time to prepare. These people mocked the justice system and the constitution and should be tried in the public arena.
You want a young (late 40s) one? Okay. I nominate Jimmy Hofileña. Jimmy is the salutatorian of Gibo’s class (Gibo was 4th).
Jimmy is a true-blue Atenean (since kindergarten). He graduated in 82, so he is a contemporary of PNoy and Justice Sereno. I believe Jimmy was the class valedictorian in Ateneo.
He is intelligent, incorruptible, mild-mannered, with a judge’s demeanor (he listens first and tries to understand the other’s perspective before making his point in any discussion). I know of no professors (the late Yorac, Justice Cuevas, Justice Mendoza included), who were not impressed by Jimmy’s intellect. For that matter, I know of no contemporary of his who will not agree with this description here.
There is the added bonus that Jimmy is a barbarian (no frat affiliations). So he comes to the office unencumbered by old boy affiliations.
If Saguisag were appointed Chief, and Jimmy Overall Deputy, it will produce a great team.
By the way, anak ito ni CA Justice Hector Hofileña.
Scenarios/names being floated, (floated, take note):
1.Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to Ombudsman; Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa to DOJ. Who will take over the position of executive secretary is another subject of “floats”.
2. Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales who will be retiring soon.
Ochoa to the DOJ? After the success of his Executive Orders at the Supreme Court?
What cases does the DOJ Sec have power over? That will determine the basis for the interest in the DOJ. Although a seeming demotion, a move to the DOJ provides hands-on power over whatever the portfolio controls.
This comment might be too late, but:
Pres Aquino should have not accepted OMG’s resignation. He pre-empted the Senate. Now, we will not know what extent OMG’s participation in GMA’s graft and corruption is. Now, there being no case against OMG she can leave the country and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Is there a legal way nbow to prevent her from leaving, like a Hold Departure Order? Parang ganun lang kadali and erased na ang lahat?
#33. #1 scenario more possible because they’ve been scouting for a prominent post for Ochoa for sometime now. I think de Lima is slowly making good impressions on the president also.
Huwag na ang #2 scenario…so very Gloria pabaon system yan.
Sorry, I’ve lost confidence in De Lima already. She should go too and not get kicked upstairs.
Di pala “upstairs” yan even if its a constitutional position. The DOJ still has broader powers than the Ombudsman. That will be a demotion. Ditto Exec. Sec. to DOJ Sec.
Ako rin, Tongue, ayaw ko kay de Lima as Ombbudsman. Si Kuya Mar daw ang gusto to replace Ochoa, Ellen?
Si Kuya Mar daw ang gusto to replace Ochoa, Ellen?-Chi
I seriously doubt it.
Thanks, Ellen…sana nga hindi kasi baka manggugulo si tio Peping. hehehe!
Anong hawak ng DOJ, where one who plays ball may be needed by interest groups?
1. Opinion making on all legal queries of the Executive Branch – Spratlys, US Bases, “joint” exploration of Philippine waters with China et al, mining issues, etc.
2. Prosecution of drug lords or only their runners.
wala na bang ibang tao na pwde other than de lima, ochoa etc, ? with how many millions of pinoy, bakit sila sila pa rin ? this is why i am pro RH bill, dami ngang pinoy puro reject naman , then whats the point of pro life? dadami ang bobo sa pinas, Ok sana kung einstein gene , sa dami ng lawyers who top the bar every year , wala dun na qualified to be ombudsman ?
Nakabalik raw sina putot lumagpak sa NAIA Terminal 1 at 6 p.m. sakay ng 3 kotse in a convoy that entered thru the VIP tarmac bypassing immigration. Naku ha, may protektor pa sa customs ang pamilya! Hindi pala tumakas, naglinis pa lang nga building nila sa Frisco. 🙂
Ay mali…yung palang kwemto na nabasa ko e nung umalis sina putot puntang Frisco when OMG resigned. Nami-miss ko na kasi si pandak. 🙂
Hindi lang naman kasi katalinuhan ang hinahanap natin para maging Ombudsman. We really have to have a very tough and pricipled one. Yung walang bahid ng corruption. It is difficult to have all these traits in one person. But I am sure makakahanap tayo ng papalit kay Maldita na di hamak na mas matino sa kanya.
Let us face it, maraming inilagay sa pwesto ni putot na nandyan pa rin. In short marami pa ring galamay si putot. Most of these corrupt officials will not be brought to justice in Pnoy’s time kasi nga ubod ng kupad ang Ombudsman. Hopefully, with a new Ombudsman, medyo mapapadali ang mga kaso. Kaya nga lang kung dating gawi ang karamihan ng mga nandyan, na nagaantay ng lagay para umusad ang kaso, lagot pa rin tayo. There should be lot of policing in the lower ranks as well to weed out the “ang lagay” guys.
Nagdeposit at withdraw lang nag mga putot and company sa Sn Fco.
i want people to recommend and for PNoy to consider Atty Alex Lacson to fill the post of the Ombudsman
miron na lang muna sana ko, pero hindi ko lang matiis to, hindi ko malaman kung matatatawa o maiinis ako dito:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/219636/nation/miriam-wants-gibo-to-be-the-next-ombudsman
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Wednesday said defeated presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. would be the best bet to replace Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned last week.
I’m told the frontrunner among those being considered for Ombudsman are Carpio-Morales and Rep. Erin Tanada.
Perl, (re #49)
Brenda is up to her old tricks. Ask her again and she’ll say “Ha ha..I lied.”