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Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Minority to pursue impeach raps despite witness' defection
* Prelate hits anti-jueteng witness over reversal of stand
MEMBERS of the House opposition remain confident that they would be able to push the impeachment case against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo despite admission that they got a little upset with the decision of jueteng witness Michaelangelo Zuce to "forge" an alliance with the government.
Zuce was being eyed by the opposition in the House to be one of its witnesses in the impeachment complaint who could pin down Arroyo and former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in having rigged the 2004 presidential elections.
House senior deputy minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros admitted that they were affected by Zuce's apparent defection when he announced on Monday that he has joined the anti-jueteng task force of Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn.
Zuce did not make say whether he would recant his statements against Arroyo but the members of the opposition could not afford not to think if he is still willing to testify against the President when the impeachment case against her through.
In case Zuce would ally himself with Arroyo, Cayetano said they still have more witnesses who could testify against her.
Zuce is believed to be one of the key witnesses in the election-rigging operations allegedly employed by Arroyo and Garcillano in the 2004 elections.
In a Senate hearing last year, he testified about the election-rigging activities and even furnished the panel with documents, including letters written by Garcillano and then political adviser Jose Rufino to Arroyo.
Should Zuce decide to recant his statements against Arroyo, Cayetano said it would not mean goodbye to their impeachment case against the Arroyo.
"We will only lose the testimonial evidence of Zuce but we still have plenty of records to prove that the last presidential election was marred by fraud," the congressman pointed out.
He expressed no doubt that Malacañang had a hand in the decision made by Zuce.
Zuce on Monday claimed that he was forced to join the task force because of financial difficulties that his family is facing now.
Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz described Zuce as "a person with no principles."
Cruz, a staunch anti-jueteng crusader, said Zuce's decision to join the Arroyo camp is not surprising as Zuce "had been offered huge sums of money in exchange for his withdrawal (of jueteng accusations against the Arroyo administration)".
"I find it hard to believe that he moved on his own. The present administration is not unknown for buying fidelities and paying for favors," Cruz said.
Although Cruz understands why Zuce jumped over to the Arroyo camp, Cruz said the reason given by Zuce was "lame".
"I understand him. He said he was no longer supported by those who 'used' him. It is always more convenient to side with those in power and influence," Cruz added.
The bishop clarified that he was not the one who presented Zuce during the Senate inquiry but lawyer Liwayway Vinzon-Chato who made Zuce testify on how President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo allegedly used jueteng proceeds to finance her campaign during the May 2004 elections.
As regards STL, Cruz said "it is merely a cover-up for the continued and legalized operations of jueteng in the country since STL needs also financiers, operators and collectors to carry out its operations".
"STL cannot stand on its own. It has to have jueteng as a backup. So now the poor will be exploited by two gambling forms," he said. (DBP/MSN/Sunnex)
(March 22, 2006 issue)
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