By Christine F. Herrera and Macon R. Araneta

FORMER Senate President Jovito Salonga, a Catholic bishop, and other government critics filed an impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday, accusing her of ?gross incompetence, corruption, arbitrariness and bias in favor of the First Family.?

The complaint, filed at the House, was endorsed by Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros.

?The Ombudsman has become synonymous to inaction, mishandling, or downright dismissal of clear cases of graft and corruption, some leading to the President herself or that of her closest associates,? the 31 complainants said.

They said Gutierrez had transformed the Ombudsman from being the ?protector of the people? into the ?coddler of the powerful and corrupt.?

In a news conference afterward, Gutierrez threatened to file perjury and falsification charges against all the complainants.

She lashed out at Salonga for losing key documents that could have helped the government recover ill-gotten wealth from the Marcos family when he was chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

She also attacked Dinky Soliman for doing nothing to fight corruption when she was head of the Social Welfare Department.

Saying the complaint was based on false allegations, Gutierrez said she would answer all the charges raised.

The 33-page complaint against Gutierrez listed a number of cases in which she allegedly betrayed the public trust and violated the Constitution, including:

? The P1.3-billion Mega Pacific graft and corruption case against former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos and his subordinates

? Alleged collusion in World Bank-financed road projects;

? The P728-million fertilizer fund mess involving former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante

? The $2-million extortion case against former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez

? The 105,000-euro Euro-Generals scandal.

?As long as Ombudsman Gutierrez sits, anyone is at the mercy of her arbitrariness,? the complainants said.

Their complaint also pointed to the Ombudsman?s close ties with the President and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo.

Before her appointment as Ombudsman, Gutierrez had been appointed chief presidential legal counsel in the Office of the President, the complainants said.

Gutierrez and the President?s husband were also classmates at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, the complaint said.

They said Gutierrez betrayed public trust when she deliberately disregarded the Supreme Court?s findings, declaring the P1.3-billion equipment purchase contract entered into by the Comelec as null and void. She ?completely exonerated Abalos? along with his subordinates, they said.

?Ombudsman Gutierrez? manifest bias in issuing arbitrary dismissal and suspension orders against chief executive local officials, particularly Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas and Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, respectively, constitute grave abuse of discretion in the exercise of her functions, amounting to betrayal of public trust,? the complaint said.

Malaca?ang yesterday urged the Ombudsman?d critics to give her a chance to defend herself and refrain from using the impeachment for political purposes and grandstanding.

In a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesman Lorelei Fajardo said the Palace respected the seriousness of the impeachment proceedings as part of the democratic process.

?It would be a good opportunity for Ombudsman Gutierrez to defend herself,? Fajardo said.

The complainants include Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias; Raul Pangalanan, Florin Hilbay and Emilio Capulong Jr., all officers of Bantay Katarungan; Rafael Alunan III, Quintin Doromal and Emigdio Dacanay Jr. of Kilosbayan; former Senator Leticia Shahani; former Cabinet members Dinky Soliman, Teresita Quinto Deles, Ernest Leung and Karina Constantino David; Lea Navarro of the Black and White Movement; and Jose Molano Jr., Veronica Villavicencio, Sostenes Campillo Jr., Sister Mary John Mananzan, Crispino Aguelo, Vitaliano Nanagas, Milagros Capistrano, Guillermo Cunanan, Mary Anne Terenal, Yasmin Busrah-Lao, Remedios Rikken, Elizabeth Yang, Leon Flores III, Ramil Cinco, Marilou Borje, Raul Socrates Banzuela and Randy David. With Roy Pelovello