Lozano slams Palace execs

MANILA, Philippines - Lawyer Oliver Lozano lashed back at two Malacañang officials for saying that the impeachment complaint he filed against President Aquino should not be taken seriously and would be a waste of time of the congressmen.

“They are sipsip, they are making public pronouncement without even reading my complaint,” Lozano told reporters during the Rembrandt news forum in Quezon City.

He was reacting to the statement of Palace Communications group secretary Ricky Carandang, who described the impeachment charges as absurd and Congress should not waste time on it.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, on the other hand, said the complaint was “utterly baseless.”

Lozano earlier filed an impeachment complaint against Aquino for rejecting military burial honors for former President Ferdinand Marcos.

He said the Palace officials should have welcomed the complaint and just leave the judgment to members of the House of Representatives.

“Malacañang is actually sending signal to Congress to ignore the impeachment complaint” he said.

The lawyer said he has nothing personal against President Aquino.

He said the President is apparently “hostaged” by what he called the “AK 47 mentality” of his leftist adviser.

Lozano said the President had already made a public announcement that he agreed to a military burial for Marcos.

“But he suddenly changed his mind so the people must know the reason and this can be done only through an impeachment process,” he said.

In an eight-page complaint sent to the House of Representatives through registered mail, Lozano said the President betrayed public trust and violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

Under the law, he said every veteran is entitled to burial with military honors.

“President Marcos was a war veteran but Aquino rejected appropriate burial for the former while he allowed Gen. Angelo Reyes and others (to be buried) with military honors,” Lozano added.