‘Impeachment process remains a trap’

Opposition congressmen feel that the impeachment process is still an "administration-laid trap" into which they are not about to fall despite the support expressed by the Liberal Party for such constitutional mode of ousting President Arroyo.

"It remains to be a trap. The moment we heed their (administration congressmen’s) repeated prodding to go into it, they will just kill the impeachment complaint to protect GMA and prolong her embattled presidency," House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said yesterday.

Moreover, he said impeachment is so painful and protracted a process that it will drag the economy and the nation down.

"The best option is still for Mrs. Arroyo to resign and spare us all from this situation of uncertainty and suffering," he said.

Assistant Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said he and his opposition colleagues "are not about to go into a game where the rules are not clear."

"The House has not approved its rules on impeachment or even adopted provisional rules. Without clear rules of engagement, it is only their allies whom they can prod and get to agree to initiate an impeachment process," he said.

Cayetano reiterated the minority’s stand that it will shy away from an impeachment process at this time.

Two impeachment complaints have been filed by lawyers Oliver Lozano and Jose Lopez and endorsed by two administration allies, Representatives Rodante Marcoleta of the party-list group Alagad and Antonio Alvarez of Palawan.

The two are with the group of the President’s defenders in the House inquiry on the "Gloriagate" tapes, though Marcoleta is not a member of any of the five investigating committees.

Under the Constitution, a complaint must be endorsed by at least one House member. But if one-third of all members of the chamber sign the petition, it goes directly to the Senate for trial.

Cayetano said assuming those who want Mrs. Arroyo to be impeached have one-third or 79 of the 236 House members, still they cannot support one of the two impeachment complaints or file a separate one unless the rules are clear.

"Supposing we support any of the two or file our own complaint and they later prescribe in the rules that 79 signatures are needed upon the filing of the petition, tapos na kami (we are finished)," he said.

He questioned the motive of administration congressmen in prodding the opposition to go into an impeachment process despite its expected adverse effects on the economy and the nation.

"They admit that such a process will drag the economy down and further divide the nation, as President Cory (Aquino) warned GMA last Friday. And yet, they are pushing us. Their motive is suspect," he stressed.

For his part, Rep. Rolex Suplico of Iloilo, another minority member, said if the House proceeds to act on the Lozano and Lopez impeachment complaints, "it will be a moro-moro and lutong macao."

"Imagine a complaint endorsed by administration allies with other colleagues in the administration bloc acting as judges?" he asked.

The President’s allies are not taking chances and are preparing for the possibility that more House members may support the impeachment process.

The ruling Lakas led by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) headed by Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo Puno agreed over the weekend to merge their forces to fight any opposition-supported impeachment move.

Puno told The STAR yesterday in a text message that they are also preparing for Mrs. Arroyo’s push for Cha-cha (Charter change) when the Second Regular Session of the 13th Congress begins on July 25.

He said Kampi, which by Puno’s count has 34 congressman-members, will help the President push for Cha-cha through con-as (constituent assembly) even if the party has taken a stand that it would prefer that a constitutional convention be elected to propose Charter amendments.

Responding to a question. Puno said he expects leadership changes in the House a result of the Lakas-Kampi merger.

Kampi members have been grooming their party boss to replace Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.