Solons' absence irks opposition colleagues

By RAUL S. BELTRAN
People's Tonight

AT least eight opposition stalwarts, whose physical presence could have played a crucial role in the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, were missing during the Lower House voting yesterday.

And their colleagues who were in the forefront of the impeachment move against the President were not pleased.

"We are not happy about it," said House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Rolex Suplico (LDP, Iloilo), surprised over the absence from the proceedings of Representatives Joseph Santiago (NPC, Catanduanes), Oscar Malapitan (LDP, Caloocan City), Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo (LDP, Quezon City), Luis "Baby" Asistio (NPC, Caloocan City), Antonio Serapio (NPC, Valenzuela City), Imelda "Imee" Marcos (KBL, Ilocos Norte), Reynaldo Uy (LP, Samar) and Jack Ponce Enrile (NPC, Cagayan).

Suplico and Rep. Roilo Golez (Ind., Parañaque City) said they were both surprised when their eight colleagues, especially Santiago, Marcos and Uy, skipped the voting on House Resolution No. 1012 submitted for plenary deliberations by the House committee on justice dismissing the impeachment complaints against the President.

Sources said Asistio, a close ally of deposed President Joseph Estrada, is in the United States while Malapitan, Crisologo and Serapio have all refused to sign or endorse the opposition's amended complaint on the belief that President Arroyo "is not the legitimate president of the Philippines."

Suplico and Golez could not give any reason why Santiago, Marcos and Uy, who were among the original endorsers of the amended impeachment complaint, were not around when the opposition congressmen took turns in lambasting the committee report which they described as a coverup for the President's alleged "sins to the Filipino people," including betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption and culpable violation of the Constitution.

On the other hand, Enrile -- the son of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile who has joined the Senate majority -- could be seldom seen attending the sessions, although his "presence" is often reflected in the records of the House secretariat.

Marcos, according to a member of the staff of House Minority Leader Francis Joseph Escudero (NPC, Sorsogon), has sent word that she would attend the session yesterday after visiting her district.

Suplico admitted that the presence of their colleagues could be a morale booster to the proponents of the impeachment move, who until yesterday have miserably failed to muster the 79 votes needed to impeach the President.

"They should have been here. They could not cast their votes by telephone," he said. "Perhaps, this is the time which separates the men from the boys."

Suplico and Golez both refused to confirm reports that Marcos' absence from the voting on the committee report had something to do with the reported consent of Malacañang to inter the remains of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, a cemetery reserved for Filipino heroes and presidents.

But Escudero said he respected whatever stand his colleagues in the opposition has taken in the impeachment issue. "I don't want to comment until I have heard their side. We will give them the benefit of the doubt," he said.

Suplico said he was elated when two congressmen who were "least expected" to support the impeachment move, Liberal Party Representatives Hermilando Mandanas (Batangas) and Antonino Roman (Bataan), voted in the negative on the committee report.