AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros yesterday described as "ironic and amusing" the threat of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to file charges against those who filed an impeachment complaint against her Monday.

"It is ironic that she would rather invest time and energy on legal harassment and not on pursuing legal charges against corrupt officials. It only proves that she doesn’t know what her constitutional duty is. Shouldn’t she be training her guns on the likes of Nani Perez, (Benjamin) Abalos, and FG Mike Arroyo?" Hontiveros said.

She urged more citizens and civil society leaders to sign the impeachment complaint of which she was the main endorser. "Do not be afraid of Merceditas Gutierrez. It is actually Merceditas Gutierrez who should fear the Filipino people."

Hontiveros chided the Ombudsman for her tirades against former Senate President Jovito Salonga. "Mahiya naman siya. Senator Salonga’s credibility is unimpeachable."

"Senator Salonga has proven time again his integrity and patriotism. He’s an elegant statesman who never hesitated to stand up in defense of truth and justice," she said.

"Unlike Ombudsman Gutierrez, Senator Salonga never used public office to defend the personal interests of high officials," she said.

She said she is confident that more members of Congress would sign the impeachment complaint.

She said she will convince more endorsers during the Lenten break.

"Hopefully we can gather enough signatures by April to transmit the complaint directly to the Senate," she said. "However, even if we fail to get the support of one-third of the House members, we are very much ready to debate this out in the justice committee," she said.

Former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta chided Gutierrez for saying he was behind the impeachment complaint.

"To suggest that I even helped mount this broad-based citizens’ effort to impeach her so as to retaliate against her filing of charges against me and my mother is preposterous. This claim, in fact, insults the intelligence, unsullied record of service, and unquestioned integrity of civil society and religious leaders, esteemed professionals and public servants who filed the complaint," he said.

Acosta added that the impeachment initiative is the citizens’ objection to the abuse of power by the Arroyo administration by using the Office of the Ombudsman to harass dissenters.

"To single out opposition leaders while covering up for those in power only reinforces the very reasons cited in the impeachment complaint: That she (Gutierrez) has coddled the powerful and corrupt, engaged in ‘vindictive politics,’ and failed to perform independently as Ombudsman," he said.

Former social welfare secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman said their complaint is legitimate.

"She (Ombudsman) should be the first one to protect the public against erring public officials, but instead many cases just passed her way without her addressing them," Soliman said.

Soliman advised Gutierrez not to poke fun at her multi-colored hair.

"Pati buhok ko pinakikialaman niya. Talaga namang makulay ang buhok ko. Wala tayong magagawa doon at talagang dadagdagan ko pa ang kulay nito," she added.

Sr. Mary John Mananzan, chair of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, said instead of lashing out at those who filed the impeachment complaint, Ombudsman Gutierrez should just look deep into her conscience and squarely face the issue.

"Isipin niya talaga, ‘am I more of the service and protector of the people?’ or ‘am I for these corrupt powerful government officials?’"

The Liberal Party admitted it has been part of a conspiracy to impeach Gutierrez, describing the move as "a conspiracy for good."

The party, in a statement, said Salonga and LP president Sen. Manuel Roxas II are the "masterminds."

"We are engaged in a conspiracy for clean governance, a conspiracy against syndicated corruption in government," the statement said.

"We have waited so long for this showdown with Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and her political masters. Punung-puno na kami at punung-puno na ang bayan. The nation is nauseated by the stench of corruption in this administration and we are determined to impeach its main promoter and protector," it added.

"It is a shame that we cannot clean up our own kitchen. It took the United States to arrest Joc Joc and General Garcia’s sons. It took Russia to intercept the euro generals. It took the World Bank to expose anomalous road contracts," the LP said.

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon, a former LP president, said the ouster move against the Ombudsman reflects the people’s frustration against graft.

"The failure of Ombudsman Gutierrez to implement the equal protection of anti-graft laws has become a public outrage. In most graft cases, the rich and the influential are not charged for their wrongdoings," he said.

Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio said Malacañang would not interfere in the impeachment case.

"The Palace cannot and will not interfere… We are optimistic that the members of the House will handle this case with judiciousness, objectivity, fairness and reason," he said.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Ombudsman "should not allow herself to be distracted by the impeachment complaint."

"It is all a matter of evidence. But the Ombudsman should be spared from politics, since like an ordinary citizen she also enjoys presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.