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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Effort underway to woo support for GMA impeachment, solon says
An opposition lawmaker admits they are slowly trying to persuade administration congressmen to support a possible second impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.
Rep. Gilbert Remulla (Cavite, 2nd district) said at least eight administration legislators have signified their interest in signing the second complaint.
Last year, the opposition lacked 28 votes when they filed an impeachment complaint against the President for alleged “stealing, cheating and lying” in the 2004 elections.
Seventy-nine votes were needed for the complaint to be passed in the House of Representatives, but only 51 signed.
Of Cebu’s eight legislators, only Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez (4th district) voted for the articles of impeachment. Rep. Antonio Yapha Jr. (3rd district) failed to vote last September because he was absent, on account of an illness.
Remulla said they are working on encouraging other members of Congress to sign the complaint, but that they are taking it slow.
“We will not file it unless we get the 79 needed votes, but we are getting closer and closer to our goal,” he told reporters yesterday, admitting that the first complaint was hastily done.
But Remulla would rather not elaborate on who among his colleagues have expressed consent, saying, “We don’t want Malacañang to know the target.”
He admitted, though, that the task of encouraging the administration-dominated House of Representatives is not a walk in the park.
“The President still has a lot of clout with politicians only because (she) who has the gold rules,” he said.
This “clout” was evident in the recent House committee report practically exonerating Commission on Elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and the President of any wrongdoing during the 2004 elections.
Five House committees conducted an investigation on the “Hello Garci” wiretapping controversy.
Remulla, though, said that the opposition is tired of confrontations that they will not question the committee report, but they will reproduce it and attach it to their dissenting opinion. He believes that Garcillano should have been dealt with, “considering that he committed perjury.”
“But the question is if she (Arroyo) still has clout over the taong bayan (individual citizen),” Remulla added.
Remulla was referring to a recent survey showing 65 percent of Filipinos want Arroyo to resign, while six percent want her unseated through a coup d’ etat. (See infographics, A1)
He also said the country’s situation under Arroyo is getting worse with the demise of democracy, which is taking a toll on the economy.
He questioned the arrest of former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman and activist Vicente Romano, while leading a silent protest in Manila Friday.
“Is the administration afraid of its own shadows that they are too desperate to silence the opposition? What’s wrong with wearing a black shirt and walking along (Roxas Blvd.)?” he asked.
Remulla also urged Soliman to file a case against the administration and the police “who have no respect for democracy.”
He questioned as well the P5-million bounty against former senator Gringo Honasan, who is charged with rebellion for his alleged involvement in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
“To have a bounty offered for his head is plainly wrong,” said Remulla, adding that Honasan is still innocent until proven guilty.
The result of all this, explained Remulla, is a possible “brain drain.”
According to him, productive citizens are leaving the country “because they don’t trust the government anymore.”
While foreign remittances can help the economy, the benefits are only for a short period of time.
Eventually, the Philippines will be left with “unproductive citizens.” (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 19, 2006 issue)
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