|
NOT even
the supposed “reconciliation” between President Arroyo,
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former President Fidel
Ramos would stop the opposition from “strengthening”
what was described as a “weak” impeachment complaint
against the Chief Executive.
On
Monday impeachment raps greeted the resumption of
session of the House of Representatives as the
opposition took turns in supplementing and amending the
impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.
Early in
the morning, former congressman and now Vice Gov. Rolex
Suplico of Iloilo and opposition lawyer Harry Roque
added supplemental complaints on the earlier impeachment
case filed by Suplico against former Commission on
Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, adding Arroyo as a
respondent.
The
complaint was in connection to the controversial
national broadband network (NBN) deal with Chinese Zhong
Xing Telecommunications Equipment Co. Ltd. (ZTE).
Party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna on Monday
reiterated his endorsement of the Suplico complaint.
“I am
reiterating my endorsement of the Abalos impeachment
complaint as amended this morning by complainant Vice
Governor Suplico, et al. through a supplemental
complaint. I believe that no law or rule bars such
action. In fact, it is a matter of duty for me to do so
in order to hold the President accountable for her
impeachable acts in relation to the scandalous NBN-ZTE
deal,” Casiño said.
House
Secretary-General Roberto Nazareno initially refused to
receive the supplemental complaint owing to the absence
of endorsers, but later relented after Suplico promised
to produce the original endorsers.
Casiño
said that based on consultation with lawyers and the
minority, there is no need to sign a new endorsement and
that the secretary-general should receive the
supplemental complaint as a ministerial duty.
“Our
original endorsement stands,” said Casiño, referring to
his and the opposition’s endorsement of the Suplico
complaint against Abalos.
Later in
the afternoon, lawyer Adel Tamano, opposition spokesman
filed a supplemental complaint to the impeachment case
filed against the President by lawyer Roel Pulido,
former counsel of the rightist Magdalo Group.
The
complaint is in connection with Arroyo’s alleged
involvement in the NBN controversy that also linked
Abalos as the supposed broker in the agreement that was
forged with China’s ZTE.
Bagong
Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) Rep. Eduardo Joson of
Nueva Ecija said the reconciliation between Arroyo, de
Venecia and Ramos stands to reason that there will be a
preservation of the status quo in the House as de
Venecia will stay on as Speaker while the impeachment
case against Arroyo “will be allowed to die a natural
death.”
The
Saturday night caucus in Malacañang has also preempted
the reported plot to oust de Venecia.
There
were no fireworks, as earlier predicted, when Congress
formally resumed session at 4 p.m. Monday as a result of
the caucus.
Sources
said had it not been for Saturday’s caucus, the allies
of the President were “ready to make a move” to unseat
de Venecia.
In fact,
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino Rep. Luis Villafuerte, a
known “nemesis” of de Venecia, was about to deliver a
privileged speech to specifically urge the Speaker to
declare and lay his card particularly on rumors about
him being courted by the opposition.
But
because of the caucus, Villafuerte called off the
delivery of the speech.
United
Opposition Rep. Salvador Escudero of Sorsogon, for his
part, doubted the supposed crack between Arroyo and de
Venecia, saying the two “are just entertaining the
people.”
A
coalition of concerned individuals on Monday called for
unity among the various sectors with different views of
how to run the country.
Bong
Ferrer, spokesman for Nagkakaisang Pilipino-Solid Block
for Progress Movement, an organization of several
nongovernment organizations, labor and urban-poor
groups, led the gathering in front of the Commission on
Audit building on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.
Among its members are Bigkis Pinoy and Super Block
Forces.
Instead
of bickering, Ferrer said government officials,
particularly in Malacañang and Congress, as well as
industry leaders, should band together and draw common
plans to cushion the impact of the rising crude-oil
prices in the world market on the local prices of basic
commodities.
Global
crude prices rose to $96 a barrel in the US last week,
causing fear it might abruptly trigger an increase in
the prices local commodities and cause a bleak Christmas
for the people.
“It’s
time to take the interest of the poor above everything
else,” Ferrer said. “It’s time to take personal and
political interests and differences to take a back seat.
I hope they are all listening.”
Ferrer
said the country’s political and business leaders should
push further the country’s economic gains so these would
eventually be felt by the poor.
“The
majority of the Filipinos, especially the masses, are
tired of long and protracted politicking of several
quarters,” he said.
“We are
appealing to all for a cease-fire to end all the noises
and start putting the interest of the poor and the
country on top of the agenda,” he added.
Meanwhile a religious group has set a three-day prayer
rally in San Juan City, Metro Manila, to ask divine
intervention “so that the country can overcome
wickedness.”
The
National Prayer Gathering of the Philippines for Jesus
Movement (PJM) at the San Juan Arena starts on Tuesday.
Bishop
Dan Balais, PJM’s national director and
secretary-general, called on every nation-loving
Filipino to join the prayer rally.
The
prayer gathering will start at 1:30 p.m. and will have
for its theme “Hear from God and intercede for the
Country.”
“Let’s
all gather together as a nation and kneel down before
God to seek His face and ask for His forgiveness for the
sins our leaders, our people and we have committed as a
nation,” Balais said.
Balais
also encouraged believers here and abroad to unite in
prayer to “seek the truth, justice and peace.”
“Let us
form a 72-hour prayer chain specifically to seek God and
repent in behalf of our nation, so that the dark cloud
of wickedness hovering over us will be removed,” Balais
added.
PJM
national chairman Eddie Villanueva in a prepared
statement, appealed to political, business and religious
leaders “to repent and rectify the horrendous wrongs
committed against the Filipino people.”
“The
untold sufferings of the Filipino people are too much
already. Enough is enough! While I humbly appeal to all
concerned players in the political, economic and social
conditions of the nation, I also remind you all who are
responsible for the moral degradation and incredible
deterioration of our beloved Philippines that God has a
serious warning to all concerned,” Villanueva said.
---With C. Mocon |
