Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, president, Senate: "As a citizen of this republic, I am really not happy with the performance of the Ombudsman and her people... (So) I understood where the President is coming from when he issued those statements because he was getting frustrated and wants to do something."
Impact
The positive impacts of the impeachment trial include:
1. Evidences will be put in the court of law on whether there is basis for the accusations made upon Guttierez.
2. The Filipino people can move on in cleaning up the government of corrupt employees.
3. Evidences on the unsettled legal issues involving the Arroyo administration will be evaluated for their merits in the impeachment court.
There only two important outcome that can weigh on the country because of the trial:
1. The cost of the trial will be very high.
2. A long stretched out trial can derail the other works of the Senate and can be troubling for the people to follow.
UPDATE: Merci Resigned
In a letter dated 29 April 2011, Merceditas Guttierez tendered her resignation to PNoy, effective May 6. On the same day, the President accepted it.
Impacts
One central outcome of the Gutierrez resignation is the automatic discontinuation of the impeachment trial.
Positive Impact to Gutierrez
1. She will save herself the trouble of defending herself from the court.
2. She removed the risk of probably losing the case, including her retirement benefits and right to serve again in the government.
Positive Impact to those Involved in the Scams Mentioned
1. The case will not be scrutinized and deliberated anymore in the impeachment court, keeping the status quo. (If protectionism had happened, those being protected remained so at least for the meantime.)
Positive Impact to the Government
1. It saves millions of pesos of expenditures for the impeachment trial.
2. It allows Senators to more on to other national concerns.
3. It removes in the Office of the Ombudsman the obstacle to cleaning up the government ranks.
4. The Filipino people can finally move on from this issue.
Negative Impact
The sole negative outcome this event brought was the opportunity loss at not having the controversies hounding the Arroyo administration scrutinized in the court of law.
Impact
The positive impacts of the impeachment trial include:
1. Evidences will be put in the court of law on whether there is basis for the accusations made upon Guttierez.
2. The Filipino people can move on in cleaning up the government of corrupt employees.
3. Evidences on the unsettled legal issues involving the Arroyo administration will be evaluated for their merits in the impeachment court.
There only two important outcome that can weigh on the country because of the trial:
1. The cost of the trial will be very high.
2. A long stretched out trial can derail the other works of the Senate and can be troubling for the people to follow.
UPDATE: Merci Resigned
In a letter dated 29 April 2011, Merceditas Guttierez tendered her resignation to PNoy, effective May 6. On the same day, the President accepted it.
Impacts
One central outcome of the Gutierrez resignation is the automatic discontinuation of the impeachment trial.
Positive Impact to Gutierrez
1. She will save herself the trouble of defending herself from the court.
2. She removed the risk of probably losing the case, including her retirement benefits and right to serve again in the government.
Positive Impact to those Involved in the Scams Mentioned
1. The case will not be scrutinized and deliberated anymore in the impeachment court, keeping the status quo. (If protectionism had happened, those being protected remained so at least for the meantime.)
Positive Impact to the Government
1. It saves millions of pesos of expenditures for the impeachment trial.
2. It allows Senators to more on to other national concerns.
3. It removes in the Office of the Ombudsman the obstacle to cleaning up the government ranks.
4. The Filipino people can finally move on from this issue.
Negative Impact
The sole negative outcome this event brought was the opportunity loss at not having the controversies hounding the Arroyo administration scrutinized in the court of law.
(Photo courtesy of Philippines Graphic)
Sources
Marvin Sy: "'Noy statements won't affect Senate judgment on Merci," The Philippine Star 25 March 2011
Kimberly Jane Tan: "Ombudsman Merci resigns, 10 days before Senate trial," GMA News 29 April 2011
Kimberly Jane Tan: "Ombudsman Merci resigns, 10 days before Senate trial," GMA News 29 April 2011
