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Saturday, September 03, 2005
SC won’t stop impeachment
The pro-impeachment movement got a boost last night from two widows, as the Supreme Court ruled that it will not get involved in the proceedings in Congress just yet.
Former president Cora-zon Aquino and Susan Roces were seen together for the first time in public as they joined the opposition in an inter-faith gathering to pray for truth and justice to prevail in the impeachment proceedings against President Arroyo.
The mass at the La Salle Greenhills Chapel in Mandaluyong City was held as pro-impeachment congressmen pitched for more time to raise the 79 signatures needed for the amended complaint to be sent directly to the Senate for trial.
The House of Representatives had scheduled a plenary voting on Monday to determine the outcome of the justice committee’s report on the three impeachment complaints, which were all rejected last Wednesday.
The President is accused of cheating in the May 2004 elections by conspiring with a former election official. Members of her family also allegedly received payoffs from the illegal numbers game jueteng.
Earlier yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that it was premature to interfere in the impeachment proceedings.
In a five-page resolution, the High Court dismissed lawyer Ernesto Francisco’s petition seeking to stop the House from rejecting the amended impeachment complaint.
All remedies
The step-by-step procedure in handling an impeachment complaint in the House should first be followed before taking the case to court, the High Tribunal said.
“The court should therefore wait until after all the remedies in the House are exhausted. Indeed, this is not yet the auspicious time to resolve the issues raised in the petition,” the ruling read.
Meanwhile, Akbayan party-list Rep. Mario Agujo said 72 congressmen are solidly behind the impeachment proceedings and efforts are underway to persuade those they consider as “swing” legislators to join them.
Akbayan Cebu secretary-general Alvin Dizon said they are trying to win over Rep. Antonio Yapha, Jr. (Cebu, 3rd district), who earlier declined to comment on the impeachment issue.
They also identified Bohol congressmen Eladio Jala, Edgardo Chatto, and Roberto Cajes as potential supporters.
Agujo, in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, said civil society groups are also preparing to launch protest actions in case the impeachment complaint is killed in the House.
The Gloria Step Down Movement (GSM), though, is already calling on the people to take to the streets.
“Arroyo may have won the battle in Congress, but she has not won the war in the hearts and minds of the people. If she could not face an impeachment trial in the Senate, she will face trial in the parliament of the streets,” said GSM spokesperson Kaira Zoe Alburo.
Prayers
Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter president Democrito Barcenas said Arroyo was not sincere from the very start when she said she is willing to submit to an impeachment proceeding.
“We are already in a deep political and economic crisis. I appeal to all sectors of society to peacefully assemble and march to the streets because the recent incidents concern all of us,” Barcenas said.
Last night, Aquino called on the people to continue praying, as she also hinted of helping in persuading lawmakers to sign the amended impeachment complaint.
“Thank you for leading in the search for truth, may your tribes increase, at least to 79,” Aquino said.
Both Aquino and Roces, widow of presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., had called on the President to resign following charges of electoral fraud and corruption.
The mass was organized by pro-impeachment groups Pag-asa and Black and White for the congressmen who signed the amended complaint.
House Minority Floor Leader Francis Escudero warned the administration congressmen from blocking the transmittal of the amended complaint to the Senate for trial once they get the required number of signatures.
Records from the Office of the House Secretary General showed that from the original 50, there are now 48 endorsers of the amended case.
The justice committee dismissed the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Jose Rizalino Lopez and the amended version by the opposition because the case filed by lawyer Oliver Lozano preceded the two cases. It tackled the Lozano complaint but later junked it also for “lack of substance.” (Sunnex)/GN/RHM)
(September 3, 2005 issue)
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