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Thursday, June 29, 2006
Espinoza: Second impeachment complaint
By Elias L. Espinoza
There is nothing for Malacañang to be scared of with the filing of the second impeachment complaint against President Arroyo in the House of Representatives. At that time, the President was in Rome where she presented to Pope Benedict RA 9436, the law that abolished the death penalty.
Romulo Macalintal, President Arroyo’s lawyer, was so overprotective of his prized client he immediately advised the House not to act on the second impeachment complaint because of the pending question raised by Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez before the Supreme Court regarding the first impeachment complaint.
But I agree with Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama that the administration should not resort to technicality. This could only fuel more discontent.
The President left for Rome even if she knew that a second impeachment complaint would be filed against her. Her confidence stems from the fact that the administration has the majority in the House. Besides, I was told some opposition legislators are back in her fold.
Still, the House should act on the impeachment complaint and follow the process laid down by the Constitution. With this, Congress will be able to show to the international community that we have matured politically.
Remember the impeachment case against former US president Bill Clinton? Charges against him were worse because they involved immorality. Yet, the US Congress allowed the impeachment process to unfurl. When Clinton came out the victor, the story ended.
If Arroyo’s lieutenants in Congress will prevent the second impeachment complaint from reaching first base, then the President’s woes will continue. Thus, the administration should give the opposition a chance to prove their case. After all, during the voting, the majority rules.
If the constitutionally mandated process on impeachment is observed, there is no more reason for the opposition to howl and protest later. And if they do protest, the people will no longer believe them.
Most of those I talked with are tired of listening to the opposition’s recycled complaints against Arroyo. They want the opposition to shut up and allow Malacañang to push for reforms in government and implement its economic agenda.
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The reaction of the Cebu City police to the incident involving a PUJ driver plying the Mandaue-Cebu City route was a nauseating display of abuse of authority.
An official of another city noted that while the Cebu City police failed to prevent the series of robbery cases in their area, they were quick to respond in full force to the incident involving the driver. Or the Cebu City police may have thought they were conducting an anti-terrorist drill in preparation for the Asean Summit in December, a friend quipped.
The poor driver was not only humiliated in public but also suffered injuries allegedly from the hands of a traffic cop.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 29, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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