Governors ask Congress to end impeachment hearings

Local officials from across the nation urged Congress yesterday to terminate the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Arroyo, which they said are "irrelevant and doomed to fail."

Governors, mayors and other local government officials instead called on lawmakers to focus on more urgent problems, particularly the threat of soaring fuel prices on the economy.

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, spokesman for the League of Provinces, said the defeat of the opposition in the hearing last Tuesday was an indication of things to come.

"After the first round vote of 54-24 that went the way of the majority, it is now crystal clear that the impeachment complaint is a goner. The defeat of the opposition in the first salvo of the voting was a knockout and portends what will happen next," Evardone added.

Arroyo allies virtually won the first round of the impeachment hearing being conducted by the House committee on justice, chaired by Rep. Simeon Datumanong.

Evardone cautioned opposition lawmakers to "abandon their lost cause, otherwise they will be isolated and spurned by the people who are sick and tired of unabated political bashing and fault-finding."

While conceding it is the prerogative of Congress to tackle the impeachment case, Evardone said "we are only voicing the sentiment of the people in the countryside in appealing to the sense of nationalism of members of Congress in terminating the proceedings."

He noted the skyrocketing price of crude oil in the world market should be addressed.

Supporting Evardone’s call, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan Mayor Angelito Sarmiento said the public is "no longer interested in the result of the impeachment as they are more concerned about where their next meal will come from."

Sulu Gov. Ben Loong said the opposition is only trying to prolong the agony of the Filipino people.

"Congress must act now as one collective body to address the fuel crisis because any delay will gravely result in staggering consequences," Albay Vice Gov. James Calinisan, chairman of the Vice Governors League of the Philippines.

On the other hand, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition, said efforts to stall or block the impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo would only make matters worse for her.

"Mrs. Arroyo and her House allies are playing a dangerous game. They are intent on shutting off all available avenues of truth. They are taking the country down a dangerous road," he said in a statement commenting on last Tuesday’s vote. — With Michael Punongbayan