The recommendations were contained in a partial report that the chairman of the committee, Senator Teofisto Guingona III, presented to the media on Thursday.

Aside from Guingona, 13 other senators signed the committee report: Guingona, Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Serge Osmena, Ralph Recto, Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Manny Villar, Alan Cayateno, and Joker Arroyo.

Guingona said the recommendation to impeach the Ombudsman would be forwarded to the House of Representatives while the recommendation against the prosecutors would be referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

"The first recommendation is to impeach Ombudsman Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust," Guingona said in a press conference in the Senate.

"She [Gutierrez] has betrayed public trust," he said.

But the Ombudsman, Guingona said, has another alternative and that would be to voluntarily step down from office.

"There's also an alternative that is open to Ombudsman Gutierrez and that alternative is to resign," said the senator.

"Please spare the country of this conflict. Please resign," he further said.

Aside from impeaching the Ombudsman, Guingona said the committee also recommended the removal from office of the following state prosecutors: Wendell Sulit, Robert Callos, Jesus Micael and Balmeo Capistrano.

The committee specifically recommended the filing of administrative and criminal cases against these prosecutors.

Guingona said these officials allegedly weakened and muddled the case against Garcia, who has been accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth when he was in office.

Maila Ager, Phil. Daily Inquirer