Friday, August 03, 2007 Pimentel hints possible impeachment vs Arroyo By Ben O. Tesiorna
MINDANAOAN Senator Aquilino Pimentel hinted of a possible impeachment charge against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo if she keeps on with her order for the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to widen roads outside of its jurisdiction.
In a telephone interview, Pimentel said it is tantamount to abuse of power since the MMDA was created specifically to serve only the Metro Manila area.
It was learned that President Arroyo is planning to tap the MMDA in the widening of roads in Bacoor, Cavite.
Asked if it's quite a "wild imagination" for Arroyo to be impeached just because of her desire to improve the roads, Pimentel said there are other ways to improve the roads outside the Metro Manila without necessarily using the MMDA.
"Better wild than dead. Pushed to it logical conclusion, the payment of salaries, gasoline and misuse of MMDA equipment out of Metro Manila could be a criminal case – a malversation of public funds," Pimentel said.
Aside from the MMDA issue, the senator is also calling for the President to do a public accounting on the more than P60 billion given to her administration by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) this year and in 2004.
Pimentel said unless the President makes a full accounting of the money, "the public impression would be that the funds were misused for election purposes."
The senator claimed that PCGG gave Arroyo P35.160 billion in 2004 and another P25.243 billion this year. A presidential election was held in 2004, and a mid-term election was recently concluded May of this year.
