Farmers, teachers join impeachment complaint

Forty-eight public school teachers and several farmers joined yesterday the 300 or so complainants in the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo, saying they want her ousted from office primarily on charges of poll fraud.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers’ Antonio Tinio, son of the late National Artist Rolando Tinio, said that as "teachers and education sector employees, we will do our share in trying to convince the members of the House (of Representatives) to stand up for truth and justice by signing the impeachment complaint."

"Even if it has a slim chance of getting past Congress, we’re affixing our signatures because we’re committed to exhausting every available venue within the democratic space to hold (Mrs. Arroyo) accountable," he said.

Tinio also lashed out at Roman Catholic bishops who refused to support the opposition-led impeachment bid.

"Silence would have been better than cynicism. We don’t see how the search for truth can be helped by peremptorily dismissing the impeachment process even before it’s begun," he said.

Farmers were represented by Willie Marvella, deputy secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Pamalakaya national chairman, along with the groups Amihan, Narra Youth and Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, who signed as co-complainants.

The signatures of the latest set of complainants will be consolidated with those that have been gathered last week and will comprise the fifth impeachment complaint to be filed by the House minority bloc on July 26, two days after Mrs. Arroyo delivers her annual State of the Nation Address.

‘Yearly spectacle’

Meanwhile, local government executives and constitutional reform advocates said yesterday that they want the people’s initiative to immediately settle the issue of amending the Constitution because "time is of the essence to save the country from the threats of civil war and economic collapse."

"What will prevent the opposition from pursuing another impeachment case next year? This will become an annual fare to the detriment of the Filipino people," Union of Local Government Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) spokesman and Albay Vice Gov. James Calisin said.

He said vital pieces of legislation usually take a back seat in favor of an impeachment trial. This jeopardizes economic gains already in place, drives away foreign investors because of the volatile political condition, and creates fertile ground for a violent upheaval.

Under the parliamentary system, Calisin said corrupt government officials are easily unseated by a vote of "no confidence" and urgent measures are enacted without fanfare because of the fusion of the executive and legislative branches, effectively eliminating gridlock.

In a related development, governors, mayors, barangay officials and other local executives challenged anti-Charter change groups to focus the discussions and debates on the merits of shifting to a unicameral parliamentary system rather than on the contentious issue of how to amend the Constitution.

ULAP secretary-general Councilor Carlo Fortuna said that based on the recent position taken by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the bishops said Charter change is needed although they want the changes to be done through a constitutional convention.

"Although we differ in our opinions on how to amend the Constitution, we all agree that there is really a need to effect sweeping reforms in our political and economic structures," said Fortuna, who is also the national president of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL).

Earlier yesterday, a member of the House minority bloc admitted that joining pro-impeachment lawmakers and endorsing the new impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo is just like committing "political suicide."

"Supporting the impeachment is political suicide. They (Malacañang officials) are trying to stop us from signing (the complaint) by withholding our pork barrel," Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva told reporters yesterday.

The son of evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva, who lost his bid for the presidency in 2004, said the harassment has so far succeeded because some congressmen are now reluctant to support the impeachment complaint.

"Many of our colleagues are now afraid to sign mainly because they will be losing the logistical support of the Palace, which they badly need in next year’s elections," the younger Villanueva said.

He also compared the new impeachment bid to a basketball game.

"Just like when playing basketball, the ball is ours but the ring is either locked or too small. It’s a long shot, but we will definitely give it our best shot because we believe we are on the right track," Villanueva said.

Threats made by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor that lawmakers who endorse the impeachment complaint will not get any support from Malacañang have also paid off, he said.

"Somehow, there has been a chilling effect (on the congressmen). They are now having second thoughts of signing," Villanueva said.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said they may not be able to get the 78 votes — representing one-third of the 234-strong chamber — needed to send the impeachment complaint to the Senate for trial, a prerequisite to impeaching a president.

However, he belied talks that there would only be 26 congressmen who would endorse the complaint this year, saying while it may not bear 51 signatures like last year’s complaint, there would definitely be more than 30 endorsers.

House Deputy Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano made the same admission, saying they are just hopeful but not "expecting to get the constitutional shortcut of 79 signatures."

"To me, there’s just two numbers — one and 79. It doesn’t matter anymore. The amount of pressure on each congressman depends on the outrage of his constituents. In fact, all issues here can be summed up with only one word — accountability," he said.

Cayetano pointed out they were no longer concerned about ousting Mrs. Arroyo, but just want her to address all the issues hounding her administration, and only through the legal means possible — impeachment.

"They might win the battle (impeachment), but they have not resolved the issues. The root cause of the problem has not been addressed," he maintained. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe