6 votes shy to impeach
Opposition shoots for 79 solons by Monday

First posted 01:10am (Mla time) Sept 01, 2005
By Michael Lim Ubac, Philip C. Tubeza
Inquirer News Service

RACING against time, opposition lawmakers yesterday said they had gathered 73 votes and needed only six more signatures to move the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to immediate trial in the Senate.

Ms Arroyo's rivals walked out of proceedings on Tuesday in the House justice committee, sensing they would not gain headway in their initiative to unseat Ms Arroyo. Instead, the opposition concentrated on gathering support.

Marinduque Representative Edmundo Reyes Jr. told the committee that the House secretary general had received 50 endorsements. In addition, Reyes said he had the names of 23 congressmen who had committed to endorse an amended impeachment complaint as soon as the 79 signatures had been obtained or committed.

"We will stick to the agreement not to reveal the names unless the 79 signatures are achieved," said Reyes.

"For the truth to come out, the Filipino people need six more members of this House to endorse this amended complaint. Just six more. Are only 73 members of the House on the side of the truth? Is there anyone else? Is there no one else who will sign for the truth?" Reyes told the hushed assembly.

Reyes then strode out, leaving an envelope which contained blank endorsements "for any member of the House who wishes to side with the truth."

Work double time

"It's going to be a race against time," said Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio. The South Cotabato representative said the opposition had to work double time through the weekend to reach the magic number of 79 before the House begins a plenary session for a final decision on the issue on Monday.

Opposition efforts to bring Ms Arroyo to trial for allegedly stealing last year's election received a boost on Tuesday when Representative Cynthia Villar of Las Piñas sent her resolution of endorsement to the impeachment team.

Villar's vote was regarded as critical. She and her husband, Senator Manuel Villar, revived the moribund Nacionalista Party which now has 18 House members.

Reyes explained that he and his colleagues had withdrawn from the committee proceedings because Ms Arroyo's allies had denied "our simple request" to consolidate three impeachment complaints against the President.

"All that the pro-impeachment group had been asking is the chance to uncover evidence to allow us to make a fair and just resolution of this simple question: Did the President lie, cheat and steal?" said Reyes.

Lawmakers have said that the majority had planned to junk the impeachment move before Ms Arroyo leaves for abroad in mid-September for a United Nations summit in New York. The majority was prevented from doing so when the committee pushed ahead to settle issues blocking the squashing of the case against Ms Arroyo.

Reyes said that on Tuesday, "our worst fears started to unfold."

"Before we push our people to the wall and leave them with no alternative, I ask you to consolidate all the complaints. Consider the form and substance in this single proceeding and allow the evidence to be brought out and examined, so that a just resolution on these issues can be made," he said.

Iloilo Representative Rolex Suplico told students from the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration yesterday that Malacañang was willing to "offer anything to survive."

He added that two lawmakers who said they would sign the complaint backed out after Malacañang appointed their brothers to government positions.

Cebu Representative Clavel Martinez, a member of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party, said that the President called her "several times" asking her to withdraw her signature but she refused.

"Malacañang is bent on killing the impeachment. Malacañang is throwing everything at us, including the kitchen sink and the toilet bowl," Suplico said.

Laguna Representative Justin Chipeco admitted that the opposition waited until the early morning hours yesterday for more signatories to the complaint.

A difficult day

"This is a very difficult day for us because they are planning to kill the impeachment complaint," he said.

"A congressman who was about to sign the impeachment backed out after his brother was appointed a trial judge. Another congressman, who used to tell us he was willing to sign (also backed out) after a brother was likewise appointed head of a government agency," Suplico added.

He said that another lawmaker, this time from the opposition, was offered P2 million.

"When he refused, it was raised to P3 million," he said.

Standing up to be counted

Martinez said the President, whom she described as her friend, and other administration officials also tried to convince her to withdraw her signature.

"I still am a Lakas party member. I have not resigned. And I have been talked to by the President herself. She called me many times," Martinez said.

"I have been asked to withdraw my support of the impeachment but I said no because for me, this is something where we all should make a stand," she added.

She said administration officials kept on "manipulating everything in government, including money in order to buy off people who they can use."

"(The President) wants to get what she wants and just doesn't care at all. It's me, me, me, me," she said.

"This is not the kind of government we would like to give as a legacy to our children, to the young people. So we are standing up and being counted," Martinez added.

Suplico said that the pro-impeachment camp had also "compartmentalized" their campaign to get more signatures after realizing that the administration had a mole in their ranks.

"We have resorted to compartmentalization because our ranks appear to be infiltrated. There are people in the opposition who are telling the administration what is happening inside," Suplico said.

Suplico said that he and his colleagues first noticed that they had been infiltrated when they learned that the administration immediately knew the number of their votes after they filed the amended complaint.

"What is hard in this game is even our cell phones might be bugged. So we have our own (telephone) hot lines," he said.