House starts impeachment process vs GMA

MANILA, Philippines – Like the three other impeachment complaints in 2005, 2006 and 2007, the leadership of the House of Representatives has labeled the latest one against President Arroyo a “top priority” in its calendar of business.

On the first day of the resumption of session in Congress, Speaker Prospero Nograles endorsed the complaint of businessman Jose de Venecia III, son of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., to the rules committee headed by House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor.

“We have included it in our order of business, that’s our constitutional duty. Soon, it will be referred to the justice committee. Now, the ball is in the court of the rules committee,” Nograles told reporters in a briefing.

As of last night, the impeachment complaint has been referred to the justice committee chaired by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor.

“This is the fourth time (that there is an impeachment complaint). Alam na namin ang gagawin dito (We already know what to do with it). This is the fourth and last time,” Nograles said. “We will act swiftly but judiciously. We will follow the rules to the letter. We’re giving the committee a free hand.”

Nograles likewise assured the public that he will “not allow the impeachment to be either divisive or to be used for media grandstanding or to stand in the way of the scheduled legislative agenda of the House.”

Defensor said his panel will “fast-track this process.”

“We’re thankful to the Speaker for his endorsement. The country needs more time to do that. We’ll give top priority to this impeachment,” he said.

Earlier, De Venecia said he will not campaign for the 240 members of the House to support the impeachment complaint his son filed against the President, but he will ask them instead to follow their conscience.

“Why should I campaign for people to do their duty? I would just do my duty as God gave me: The wisdom to do what must be done. And the congressmen should also do their duty. It is a question of doing one’s duty,” he said.

Unlike in the impeachment complaints filed in 2005, 2006 and 2007, where he campaigned vigorously and succeeded in dismissing all of them, De Venecia insisted it is incumbent upon every congressman this time to decide, without him asking for favors.

This is also the reason why he does not need to consult the 100 or so members of the ruling Lakas-CMD party, because the impeachment complaint goes beyond party interests. De Venecia is co-founder and president emeritus of Lakas.

Members of the 28-man opposition bloc in the House, particularly deputy minority leaders Roilo Golez and Satur Ocampo, are pinning their impeachment hopes on the former speaker, especially since he belatedly endorsed it.

“I look at JDV as the one who quarterbacked the blocking of the 2005 impeachment complaint wherein I participated, the blocking of the 2006 impeachment complaint where I also participated very actively. Now he’s on the other side of the fence,” said Golez.

“I would like to see him quarterback the effort for an impeachment complaint instead of blocking it. But the problem is who is going to join him from his camp? So far, I haven’t heard anyone identified with JDV speak up,” Golez observed.

He said campaigning for lawmakers’ support on the complaint is what is “expected” of De Venecia, even if he has fallen from the graces of the administration because his son testified in the botched $329-million national broadband network controversy.

Ocampo, a former spokesman for the communist-wing National Democratic Front, said: “This is a fight for JDV. This is a big test for him, whether he’s going to fade away or this is his last fight. At least he should go out fighting. It’s a chance for him to redeem himself as a political leader.”