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Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Arroyo told aide to pick Lozano's rap, says Soliman
MANILA -- A group of former Cabinet officials accused Malacañang of having a hand in the endorsement of the impeachment complaint filed by private lawyer Oliver Lozano, which the opposition has branded as a sham.
The accusation by former social welfare secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman came as the House justice committee resumed its hearing on three impeachment complaints against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for alleged graft and electoral fraud.
Only one impeachment complaint can be given due course in a year, and opposition lawmakers want to push for the amended complaint, instead of the version Lozano first filed.
A former Cebuano ally of the President is working with the opposition in the House of Representatives to send the impeachment complaint to the Senate, for trial.
But the administration Lakas party no longer needs to expel Representative Clavel Asas-Martinez (Cebu, 4th district).
"The actuation of Martinez and those who have abandoned the party is an act of self-expulsion from Lakas. She has expelled herself," said Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, a member of the party's national directorate.
The governors, who gathered in Cebu Tuesday for a workshop on federalism, are hoping for the speedy resolution of Arroyo's impeachment complaint so that "at the soonest possible time, we can move forward for the country's political and economic stability."
She heard
In a news conference Tuesday, Soliman, who resigned along with eight other Cabinet secretaries last July, said she had heard the President tell presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio to endorse Lozano's complaint.
This allegedly happened after Arroyo apologized last June 6 for her lapse in judgment, in calling an election official at the height of the counting of votes last year.
Soliman was joined by former education secretary Florencio Abad, former finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former anti-poverty commission head Imelda Nicholas, former peace process adviser Teresita Deles and former internal revenue commissioner Guillermo Parayno.
But Claudio, in a hastily arranged press conference, branded Soliman's allegation as an "outright lie" and another attempt on their part to bring down the Arroyo administration.
"When they made their press con to announce their resignation from the Cabinet, they had hoped-even expected-that it would signal, precipitate or cause the collapse of the Arroyo government. It seems pulling the President out of power and discrediting the ongoing impeachment process has become to them a singular obsession," he said.
Claudio said he had not met Alagad party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta prior to the endorsement of the impeachment complaint.
He also said their former colleagues are trying to create the impression that there was conspiracy in the filing and endorsement of the impeachment "based on mere hearsay."
Claudio said the aim of Soliman's group was to muddle the issue and attempt to influence judgment, as the House justice committee was set to vote on Lozano's complaint. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(August 31, 2005 issue)
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Vote kills plaint to impeach Arroyo