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Thursday, July 27, 2006
Opposition files 7th impeach case v. Arroyo
A SEVENTH impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was lodged at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The filing of the so-called Cadapan-Empeno Complaint plugged what could be the last possible legal loophole that Arroyo supporters in the House may use to simply dismiss the complaints based on mere technicality.
"Counting one year since the Speaker transmitted the 2005 complaint, today (Wednesday) may be interpreted as the first day when a new impeachment complaint could be properly filed and received by the House," said lawyer Neri Javier Colmenares of the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (Codal).
Colmenares and the 200 individuals from eight organizations who signed the seventh complaint expressed hope that there would no longer be any technicality barring the impeachment of Arroyo.
Leading the 200 complainants in the seventh impeachment complaint were Erlinda and Asher Cadapan and Concepcion Empeno, parents of two University of the Philippines (UP) students identified as Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, who were reportedly abducted by the military.
Others were members of the multi-sectoral alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, lawyers, Protestant bishops and pastors, local government officials, public school teachers and university professors, doctors and health students, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), student leaders and other victims of human rights violations under the Arroyo administration.
They represented groups Bayan, Anakapawis Party, indigenous people's group Kamp, the Health Alliance for Democracy, OFW Alliance, Migrante International, National Food Authority Employees Association, the Negros Movement for Moral Regeneration, and Karapatan.
The seventh complaint was endorsed by party-list legislators Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casino and Joel Virador of Bayan Muna; Liza Maza of Gabriela and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, who themselves are facing charges of rebellion.
At a press briefing, endorsers of the complaint said the glowing praises given by Arroyo to General Jovito Palparan during her State of the Nation Address
(Sona) could be used as an evidence of presidential endorsement of the political killings.
"Mrs. Arroyo's Sona speech could be used as an evidence of presidential endorsement of the political killings and terrorist acts committed by Palparan and his troops," said Ocampo.
Another impeachment complaint is expected to be filed Thursday, which will be endorsed by Tarlac Representative Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
Meanwhile, Maguindanao Representative Simeon Datumanong, chairman of the House committee on justice, said they might begin with the impeachment proceedings next week after House Speaker Jose de Venecia referred to his committee the first six impeachment complaints against the President.
Datumanong, a former justice secretary of the Arroyo administration, has assured that his committee "would be objective" in hearing the impeachment complaints. The committee has 60 session days to hear and decide whether an impeachment complaint is sufficient in form and substance.
He echoed though observation made by colleagues in the administration bloc that pro-impeachment legislators will have a hard time getting the support of other congressmen that would eventually lead to the transmittal of the complaints to the Senate for trial.
House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles has earlier predicted the death of the impeachment complaints against the President by the end of August, claiming that impeachment is not in the agenda of the House.
Other administration congressmen, for their part, vowed to act on all the impeachment complaints against the President with dispatch and full transparency, and in accordance with the impeachment rules and the 1987 Constitution.
Ilocos Sur Representative Salacnib Baterina, one of the most avid supporters Arroyo in the House, said the committee would probably discuss first on how the committee would go about the complaints in the determination of form and substance since there are six complaints filed.
Datumanong said the committee is expected to decide next week as to which of the many complaints will be heard. (DBP/Sunnex)
(July 27, 2006 issue)
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