Palace suggests: Less painful for Ombudsman to resign

MANILA, Philippines — It would be less painful for the country if Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigned, instead of submitting herself to a contentious impeachment trial in the Senate, Malacañang said on Thursday afternoon.

Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang made the remarks after the Senate blue ribbon committee recommended Gutierrez’s impeachment following its inquiry into the plea-bargain deal with former chief military comptroller Carlos Garcia and corruption in the Armed Forces.

“(That is) really the choice of the Ombudsman but if she would resign, it would spare the nation of the trauma of having to go through a painful impeachment process,” Carandang said in a news briefing.

Carandang said US President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 “precisely to avoid dragging the country to a very contentious impeachment process.”

“So again, it’s up to Ombudsman Gutierrez (if she wants to resign) but that would certainly be much less painful for the country than an impeachment,” Carandang said. (report from Norman Bordadora, Philippine Daily Inquirer)