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Thursday, June 29, 2006
Bishop files third impeachment rap
MANILA -- A Roman Catholic bishop who is a known critic of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo filed a third impeachment complaint against her before the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, who has spoken on various political issues, said his filing of a complaint against Arroyo was a personal stand and does not reflect the position of the Catholic Church.
The first impeachment case against Arroyo was filed Monday by some 200 individuals comprising civil society and militant groups while the second case was lodged on Tuesday by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.
The Catholic bishop and his group, the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME), submitted their complaint at the office of House of Representatives secretary general Roberto Nazareno at 9:11 a.m.
This time, it was the turn of Akbayan party-list Representative Loretta Ann Rosales to endorse the impeachment complaint, which was basically the same as the first and the second complaints.
Rosales echoed claims made by other endorsers that the multiple filing of the complaints against the President was a strategy to ensure that these will not be thrown out by a mere technicality.
In the complaint, Arroyo is accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and abuse of authority in connection with claims she rigged the 2004 elections, the continued killing of militant leaders and members, and her dictatorial tendencies that led her to proclaim unconstitutional policies like Proclamation 1017 on the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency during an aborted coup on February 24, calibrated preemptive response against anti-government rallies and Executive Order (EO) 464, which gagged government, police and military officials from appearing in congressional hearings without Arroyo's permission.
Portions of all three policies were shot down by the Supreme Court.
Yniguez made it clear that he joined the impeachment move against the President based upon the dictate of his conscience. "It was a personal stand," he claimed, adding that he continues to support the search for truth espoused by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
It was important to know the truth, according to the bishop, "because the allegations hounding the President had undermined the civility of the country for quite sometime."
As expected, allies of President Arroyo told the bishop to disassociate himself from politics and focus instead on watching his flock.
But the bishop stressed that joining the impeachment call was not purely political.
The Caloocan bishop also expressed hope the President's meeting with Pope Benedict XVI would result in her "conversion."
House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles and other administration congressmen said they do not see any threat to the President posed by the multiple filing of impeachment complaints.
Deposed President Joseph Estrada has asked administration congressmen not to block the impeachment bid against Arroyo.
He said administration lawmakers should allow themselves instead to be used as channel of truth on allegations that continued to hound Arroyo.
"I hope these congressmen will be enlightened. They should let the truth come out. This is what the people, their constituents want," Estrada told reporters after the hearing of his plunder and perjury cases.
Estrada, who was ousted in 2001 and was succeeded by Arroyo, also asked the President not to block the impeachment complaints filed against her. "During my time, I did not talk to any member of the House of Representatives. I just allowed the (impeachment) process to proceed. I just hope that she would do the same," he added.
He denied that he was financing the filing of the impeachment complaints against the President. (DBP/Sunnex)
(June 29, 2006 issue)
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