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AMID
allegations that the impeachment complaint filed by a
lawyer of rebel soldiers against President Arroyo is
actually a plot to “immunize” the President from a
genuine, more substantive complaint, the House of
Representatives was stirred up anew Monday by a
disclosure that some congressmen were offered money to
“favor” the impeachment complaint.
Relatedly, Malacañang is unfazed by the latest
impeachment complaint against President Arroyo, who
regards it as nothing more than a “distraction” that she
will just ignore, a ranking Palace official said on
Monday.
In a
text message to reporters, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye
said the Palace is confident the people would similarly
ignore the latest attempt to unseat the Chief Executive,
as they had done in the past.
“The
latest impeachment saga is just another distraction that
the President will ignore. Every time the nation takes
two steps forward on its path to economic growth and
political stability, her detractors try to take us three
steps back. The people of the nation are sick and tired
of too much politics,” Bunye said.
Presidential Management Staff head Cerge Remonde said
the continued rise of the peso and the stock market is
“an indication that our economy is strong enough to
withstand any controversy,” such as the impeachment
complaint and the recent national broadband network
project.
On
Friday lawyer Roel Pulido filed an impeachment case
against the President, her third since she won in
fraud-marred elections in 2004.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers led by House Minority
Leader Ronaldo Zamora said the Pulido complaint was a
ploy from Malacañang to insulate the Chief Executive
from “serious impeachment.”
On
Monday members of the minority took turns grilling
independent Rep. Edgar San Luis of Laguna, who endorsed
the impeachment complaint filed by Pulido late Friday
afternoon.
During
interpellation,
Zamora
asked San Luis if by endorsing the impeachment complaint
he could prove the liability of Mrs. Arroyo based only
on her alleged involvement in the controversial NBN
deal, which was earlier cancelled by Malacañang.
Zamora
also asked San Luis if he believes Mrs. Arroyo is
guilty.
San
Luis, whom the opposition suspects is allied with
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), the President’s
party, said he is not a judge to say so, and that it is
why he is endorsing it so the House of Representatives
could determine if it is sufficient in form and
substance.
Party-list Rep. Crispin Beltran of Bayan Muna, who also
took the floor and interpellated San Luis, claimed he
was approached and offered P2 million by an
administration ally to sign and endorse the impeachment
complaint.
Partido
ng Masang Pilipino-United Opposition Rep. Rufus
Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro said he was also approached
to endorse the complaint.
Beltran
warned that the new “‘impeach-me’ ploy,” which he
likened to the one filed last year by lawyer Oliver
Lozano, won’t stop real complaints.
“This
could be another ploy from Malacañang to protect its
main occupant from a genuine and substantial impeachment
complaint, based on the Arroyo administration’s long
list of crimes against the people, corruption and
plunder cases involving the First Family,” said Beltran.
“This
case of ‘impeach-me’ is comparable to the impeachment
case filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano against Arroyo last
year. The timing and motive is highly questionable. The
fact that Atty. Pulido earlier filed a complaint against
House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. before the House
Committee on Ethics makes his latest move even more
suspicious and incredible,” he added.
Beltran
said legislators must be very careful when it comes to
impeachment.
Based on
Article 11, Section 5 of the Constitution, “No
impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the
same official more than once within a period of one
year.”
“With
this limiting provision concerning accountability of
public officers, we cannot afford to lose the only
chance we have to file a legitimate impeachment
complaint against Arroyo and wait for another year. If
Atty. Pulido and Rep. San Luis are serious, they should
have included other large cases of corruption involving
the President in their complaint,” Beltran said.
He said
House members must continue questioning San Luis and
summon Pulido before a congressional investigation to
know who is really behind the impeachment complaints he
filed.
In a
separate interview with BusinessMirror, Pulido said the
congressmen do not need to summon him because he is
willing anytime to go to the House of Representatives,
face the congressmen and tell them that no one is behind
the impeachment complaint.
As for
the accusations that the bribe offer “came from his
camp,” Pulido said some people could easily use his name
to destroy his credibility.
In a
news conference after the interpellation, Zamora said,
“We’re trying to be careful. In my interpellation
earlier of Congressman San Luis, [I said] there are
three things that will make an impeachment complaint
complete and honest, which is why we are trying to go
through the process of determining whether [this is] an
honest complaint.” First, “you have to be sure there is
a ground, and that makes an impeachable offense; and you
heard me ask San Luis if he thinks President Arroyo is
guilty. Because how do you pursue a case only for some
vague notion of finding out the truth?”
Zamora
added.
Rep.
Teodoro Locsin Jr. of
Makati City
also found it intriguing that the endorsing congressman
simply wanted to find out the truth—an impeachment
complaint is not for this, he said.
As for
the alleged bribe,
Zamora
said, “All of my colleagues didn’t bite that, because
they know this will make a mockery of the impeachment
process.” Rep. Crispin Beltran declined to name who
offered him the bribe. ---With M. Gonzalez |
