PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's allies at the House on Monday might stop former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and opposition congressmen from presenting their evidences on the various allegations contained in the new impeachment complaint filed against her.

"It may not reach that point," said justice panel chair Representative Matias Defensor (Lakas, Quezon City), noting that the presentation of evidence will only come after the complaint is found sufficient in substance.

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Defensor, however, assured the minority bloc that they will be accorded their time to speak and discuss the charges before the panel decides if the complaint complies with the requirement for substance.

De Venecia's lawyer Raul Lambino said his client may not be able to see the process through as he is scheduled to leave on Tuesday for Indonesia to attend an interfaith dialogue.

He said de Venecia will also leave for the US on December 2 for the book launching in Washington D.C. of his biography entitled "Global Filipino" written by Bret Decker, an editor of the Wall Street Journal.

Representative Simeon Datumanong (Lakas, Maguindanao) said both House rules and precedence are clear that the requirement for substance is not merely a recital of "simple" facts constituting the offense charge but of "ultimate" facts.

This means that the complaint filed by businessman Joey de Venecia III and civil society groups must have a clear stipulation of pertinent information on how the accused, the President, committed the offenses -- the same test where all the past complaints failed.

"Any testimony, oral, and written will be accepted by the committee but this is only after the determination of sufficiency in substance of the complaint," Datumanong said.

If the committee finds the impeachment complaint sufficient, it will go to the presentation of evidence, he added.

Majority leader Arthur Defensor said de Venecia will only be allowed to testify if the committee finds substance and a "reasonable ground" for him to present evidence.

"But if the committee will not find it (complaint) sufficient in form and substance, the committee will dismiss it and JDV can't testify," he said.

He appealed to the minority to stick to legal issue "rather than emotions," noting that all speakers in the administration camp are lawyers while opposition has only two: minority leader Ronaldo Zamora and Representative Teofisto Guingona Jr. (NP, Bukidnon).

"We just hope that they would stick on the legality of the issue and not on anything else just to catch public attention," he said.

The former Speaker has said he was willing to tell all by testifying on the alleged anomalous US$500 million North Rail project he brokered with China and the US$329 million National Broadband Network deal of the government with China's ZTE Corporation wherein he and his son Joey are also involved.

De Venecia is the designated speaker for the minority bloc in the presentation of these two issues before the justice panel.

His fellow presenters are Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño, Gabriela Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, Anakpawis Representative Rafael Mariano and Bukidnon Representative Teofisto Guingiona III.

On Tuesday, the majority bloc's own five-man panel will try to controvert the minority's arguments before the panel finally votes on the issue of sufficiency in substance on Wednesday.

The anti-impeachment panel of debaters are: Negros Oriental Representative George Arnaiz, for betrayal of public trust; Representative Simeon Datumanong, culpable violation of the Constitution; Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, NBN-ZTE; and Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga for bribery; and Baguio City Representative Mauricio Domogan, on graft and corruption.

It has selected Albay Representative Edcel Lagman -- tagged as the "head butcher" of the past impeachment complaints against the President -- as their leader. (WV/Sunnex)

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga.

(November 24, 2008 issue)
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