Expect no miracles, House official tells impeach complainants

Impeachment complainants can stop hoping for a miracle, House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles of Davao City said yesterday.

"They have tried exorcism, garlic, etc. They have tried everything but it didn’t work. I don’t think it will work. The miracle is not likely to happen. Maybe it’s better that we abandon the impeachment complaint," Nograles said.

He advised opposition lawmakers to drop their renewed effort to impeach President Arroyo following the Roman Catholic Church’s statement describing the process as an "unproductive political exercise."

Nograles was reacting to the statement of former transportation undersecretary Josefina Lichauco the other day the opposition will "pursue this impeachment even if the numbers are against us. You don’t know miracles can happen."

Lichauco, who was among the signatories of a second impeachment complaint filed on June 26, said "it is not our intention to gather the required numbers of signatures but we want to make sure that the message is delivered to the members of Congress."

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said unless the process is "guided by no other motive than genuine concern for the common good, impeachment will again serve as an unproductive political exercise dismaying citizens" as well as reinforcing their "negative perception of politicians" as a whole.

"If miracle is what they want to succeed, then bishops are correct that it is futile. So why rock the boat? Why destroy the country politically and give us a bad image?" Nograles asked.

"The CBCP statement should give a calming effect to them. My suggestion to them is to concentrate on the 2007 elections. I think it will be futile. We don’t need to prolong the impeachment agony." Nograles reiterated his suggestion that the opposition wait for next year’s midterm elections, which he said would determine the public’s sentiments about Mrs. Arroyo.

"If they can elect 80 congressmen they would stand a better chance (in pushing for GMA’s impeachment). This midterm election can be a gauge (of public sentiment)," he said, adding that the country is faced with numerous problems that need urgent attention.

"It’s best that we just concentrate on the oil crisis and the Middle East war. We have a lot of pending legislation such as the Charter change, anti-terror bill, the wage hike bill, the housing bill, bio-ethanol and the electoral reform bill, among others," Nograles said.

Arroyo critics seeking her impeachment acknowledged earlier that they do not have enough backing in the administration-dominated House of Representatives.

"We are hoping that they would allow for the evidence to be presented and let the truth come out. Numbers are against us primarily, but we are hopeful that they would give us a chance even at the committee level," Lichauco said.

The opposition needs 78 votes to have a complaint sent directly to the opposition-dominated Senate, which could then hold an impeachment trial of Mrs. Arroyo.

A similar impeachment bid last year mustered only 51 votes, falling well short of the number required.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. reiterated yesterday that Mrs. Arroyo could easily avoid the impeachment process by stepping down and calling for a "snap" or early presidential election.

"A snap election is the most expedient way out of the problem of Gloria especially now that the vague pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines seems to imply that impeachment is not the solution," he said.

Pimentel’s statement followed a proposal of Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano that the impeachment case against Mrs. Arroyo no longer be pursued if she agrees to a snap presidential election.

The public would also be given a chance to render a verdict on the crisis hounding Mrs. Arroyo.

"She has stolen the 2004 presidential election. She should not be allowed to benefit from it and continue as president as if it is the normal thing to do," Pimentel said.

"She should be made to account for it now before it is too late. Befuddling the matter on her right to stay in power creates tensions in the body politic that are bound to break into violent spasms that would not be good for the people."

Yesterday, 10 retired military officers joined the impeachment campaign and filed a complaint at the House.

Retired general Ponciano Millena, a former Philippine Marines commandant, said Mrs. Arroyo should be held accountable for all the wrongdoings in the government. "We have observed that something not right is going on. We can no longer watch her squander government fund," he said. — With Marvin Sy, Sheila Crisostomo