ANAD wants Brillantes impeached

CEBU, Philippines - A group of lawyers in the House of Representatives is set to discuss plans to initiate an impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes.

Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) Party-list said that the plan will be ironed out when the House is set to resume for its last two days session on June 5 and 6 before the new Congress opens.

Alcover said he will also meet colleagues whose party-list groups were disqualified by the Comelec.

“Daku kaayo ang kadaut nga nahimo sa Comelec, (Comelec caused so much damage.) I will deliver a strong privilege speech condemning the acts of Brillantes,” said Alcover in a press conference yesterday.

Alcover described the move of Brillantes as malicious, capricious, arbitrary, and gross violation of the constitutional provision on due process and equal protection.

He said that the actions were deliberate, calibrated, and with no other intent but to take out ANAD from among the sitting party-list groups in Congress.

The Supreme Court halted the Comelec from proclaiming the remaining winning party-list groups following the petition of the Coalition of Association of Senior Citizens in the Philippines (Senior Citizens).

The Senior Citizens is among the 12 groups, including ANAD, which were earlier disqualified by the Comelec on May 6, 2013.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno issued the Temporary Restraining Order.

“The TRO is a temporary victory for ANAD and hopefully it will lead to final victory,” Alcover said.

Alcover earlier called on House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte to extend to ANAD the same support and intervention he gave to the Senior Citizens Party-list.

Belmonte asked the Comelec to reconsider the disqualification of the Senior Citizens Party-list and declare it as among the top party-list group winners in the May 2013 elections.

Alcover said that it is not only ANAD but the hundreds of thousands of rebel returnees, families of victims of terrorism, and simple civilians who stand committed to peace and freedom that was devastated by the Comelec decision.

Alcover added that they will make use of every legal remedy available to get back any ‘lost ground’ and continue with the fight for freedom and democracy.—(FREEMAN)