Did you see PGMA getting impeached over JDV's recent 'bombshells'?

Don Hernandez, Las Piñas City: JDV can recite a plethora of bombshells until he’s blue in the face and it wouldn’t make a difference. We have a sycophant Congress whose undying loyalty to PGMA makes a successful impeachment a mere fantasy.

Delfin Todcor, Mt. Province: Yes, if our representatives care enough to end political injustice and economic sabotage for the sake of our nation’s welfare and future.

Pro-administration allies dominate Congress

Alfred Thieme, Batangas: Never, ever. It is a numbers game and she has the numbers. Pro-administration congressmen will not follow their conscience and suppress any impeachment try.

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: The tyranny of numbers will again rear its ugly head and those pampered GMA solons will defend their queen. Only one’s conscience will decide it.

E. Linsangan, Isabela: Even with the bombshell of all JDV’s bombshells, GMA will never be impeached. Her allies will surely crush the impeachment complaint at all costs.

M. Praxedes, Metro Manila: The impeachment case will lose because the Congress is dominated by pro-administration allies. However, the other matter to take into account is that the opposition does not offer any moral guarantee that they can run the country any better with all their politicizing and their selfish stance.

Rudy Tagimacruz, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon: JDV’s recent bombshells won’t impeach PGMA because, as always, it’s still a numbers game in Congress.

Leonard Villa, Batac City: With her bunch of “tutas” in the House of Representatives, impeaching PGMA is like asking for the moon. I suspect that much money in brown envelopes are now being distributed to the vultures.

Eduardo Paolo, Metro Manila: No, what with administration lawmakers in the committee looking for the “beef”, which they have already pocketed before JDV’s bombshells.

G.M. Baliatan, Rizal: This early, it is reasonable to infer that the latest impeachment complaint is similarly headed for the waste dump. Pathetic, just as Joe de Venecia had famously explained when he was Speaker. The impeachment is a numbers game.

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: No, GMA’s gang of undignified, dishonorable, pork barrel-fed and philandering congressmen will not allow it.

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: I doubt it, considering that she has survived impeachment trials in the past. Chances are, she will also survive the latest. I’m sure her people will exhaust all means and influence just to get off the hook.

Cris Rivera, Rizal: No, PGMA’s allies have already declared, with their eyes and minds still closed, while dancing Cha-cha, that the complaint has no substance and no number. Dead.

Narciso Alano, Cabanatuan City: No, GMA was likened to Christ, but Christ only had one Judas, while there might be 200 Judases in Congress.

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: The impeachment of PGMA is still a numbers game. It would be a miracle for the congressmen to vote based on their conscience and not on party alliance.

C. Gaspar, Laoag City: Aside from the weak evidence to substantiate allegations, the administration allies will move heaven and earth to obstruct it by way of counterattack.

Nothing new with his bombshells

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: I don’t see PGMA getting impeached over JDV’s recent bombshells since there is nothing new to them and they’re full of rehashed items. The impeachment could suffer the same fate as previous attempts in the last three years.

Manny Cordeta, Marikina City: I don’t see it coming. PGMA will simply shrug them off and brace herself for another hard day’s work. JDV’s recent bombshells are rehashes of aging, raging issues. I wish he’d back them up with hard evidence. They’re most probably born out of resentment, bitterness, sourgraping and failure to face reality. Once upon a time in his checkered political career, he held the fourth highest position in the country’s government hierarchy, with esteem. Nowadays, how sad and pathetic his sight, together with his band of cheerleaders who walked out of the session hall, refusing to listen to the other sides’ arguments, unwittingly, a coup de grace to whatever advocacy the perennial anti-GMA group is fighting for. If you don’t call it an act of surrender, I don’t know what is. 

Ed Collantes, Marikina City: GMA will not be impeached, not by rehashed issues such as JDV’s. 

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Unlike Erap, PGMA is intelligent, foxy and knows her politics. JDV’s bombshells could be a nuisance but ultimately not worth losing sleep over.

Nestor Buñag, Mandaluyong City: To all impeachment-obsessed: Sorry, folks, it was a foregone conclusion even before this rehash. Ho-hum. Your quantum solace is the 2010 elections.

Better to wait until she is out

Fortunato Aguirre, Bulacan: It will not prosper. Remember, the majority of congressmen are venomous tentacles of GMA. It’s better to wait until she is out, then give her a fate like that of Thaksin.

A lost cause

Norberto Robles, Taguig: Hopeless. Not only did the defense present better arguments, the JDV-led impeachment proponents seem to have antagonized non-committal solons instead of getting them on board.

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: That will be the day, kaya lang GMA eats slings and arrows for breakfast, dessert niya lang yung bombshells ni JDV. Babalik din ’yon kay JDV kumbaga.

William Gonzaga, Marikina City: PGMA is always shielded from impeachment by the color of money where her allies’ consuming greed has erased any sense of decency and loyalty to the country. As PGMA’s partners in making us Asia’s most corrupt, they must protect their patron perched in the den of thieves, also known as the Palace.

E. Linsangan, Isabela: Like we figured it would, the impeachment complaint was quashed. Even the bombshell of all JDV’s bombshells is no match to the determination of GMA’s allies to crush the impeachment complaint at all cost.

Felma Aguilan, Occidental Mindoro: I so doubt it. Or better yet, huwag na po tayong umasa.  

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: PGMA’s bomb shelters have became more impenetrable over the years. She used to control Congress; she now has a pro-administration Senate leader. Almost all the Supreme Court Justices were nominated by her. Civil society and the opposition are in disarray and the people are concerned more about where to get their next meal. I don’t see how any move to impeach the President will succeed. It will take divine intervention to do it.

The bombshells are duds

Rody Laroco, Parañaque City: They lack evidence to directly link PGMA to the alleged impeachment complaints. JDV’s bombshells turned out to be duds.

R. Los Baños, Las Piñas City: I saw shells in JDV’s testimony, but where’s the bomb? I was expecting that he will throw in some proof of wrongdoing. But, like most critics, he is long on allegations but short on evidence. Whatever he says won’t matter anyway. Ultimately, this will turn into a numbers game. He wasn’t even able to get the required number to prevent his own ouster as Speaker; how can he get the numbers to unseat the President?

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City:  PGMA cannot be impeached because JDV’s recent bombshells exploded right in his face.

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: No way, Jose. I think JDV’s photos of the ZTE headquarters in Shenzen and FG’s golf game with ZTE bigwigs are nothing but picturesque pictures. Even the P500,000 bribe money allegedly given to him is not believable. Barya-barya lang ’yan kay JDV. Dapat P50 million para medyo kapani-paniwala naman. JDV’s bombshells probably came from AFP’s duds. If you want a real bombshell, pick among Ara Mina, Francine Prieto, Maureen Larrazabal, sure ka pa!

C.B. Fundales, Bulacan: No, JDV’s bombshells were duds. Only a wolf dances with wolves and the truth will not come from a wolf that pretends to be a lamb.

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: No, JDV’s bombshell is likened only to a watusi that can’t penetrate the armor of PGMA. It may even be ingested by him with no antidote on hand.

Only we can unseat GMA

Dave Velasco, Marinduque: JDV’s recent bombshells ay suntok sa hangin. Ika nga, walang kalatoy-latoy. Critics can only remove GMA through the agitation of the citizenry.

C.K. Yeo, Iloilo City: Nothing will come out of the impeachment complaint. But if politicians continue to railroad calls for reform, people will one day go to the streets. Let’s just hope it won’t be bloody.

Rose Leobrera, Manila: Not at all. The impeachment rap is weak. Let’s just face it; nobody can make PGMA go down at this point in time. She is hard as a rock with a much bigger rock behind her, that’s FG. Isn’t there a saying that behind every successful man is a woman? Ganiyan si GMA. May FG eh. Notice how casual and unaffected the woman is in spite of the numerous attacks on her person and on her administration. Mind you, she knows very well what she’s doing. She has strategies to keep herself in power even beyond 2010. If and when she breaks her promise again, which she did so many times in the past, aba, Pinoy, nauuto ka na, kilos na.

JDV’s credibility is nil

Rene Manglinong, Ilocos Sur: I don’t see PGMA getting impeached. The opposition doesn’t have the numbers. Besides, JDV is no saint either.

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: I doubt it. The now accuser is seen as being formerly in cahoots with the accused, who has the benefit of numbers in Congress.

Dianne Aquino, Makati City: No, I believe that JDV’s corrupt practices since the Marcos era is incomparable. He is the mentor of PGMA. JDV has no moral ascendancy to file.

Jessie Ribeiro, Metro Manila: JDV has no moral right to call for a moral revolution; he himself is corrupt.

Ric Vergara, Calamba: Never, because of the numbers. Moreover, JDV is not a credible witness.

Allyson de Vera, Cavite City: PGMA will once again emerge victorious against the impeachment complaint because of JDV’s zero credibility.

Aira Panlilio, Manila: If it weren’t JDV accusing PGMA, maybe the opposition would have a better chance of impeaching PGMA. JDV has no credibility, period.

Too late the hero

Nick Ocampo, Angeles City: It’s too late for JDV and his bombshells to impeach PGMA.

Carlito Pajaro, Metro Manila: As I see it, the older de Venecia is just sourgraping since he was ousted as House Speaker.

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: At the onset, JDV bombshells look like duds. Kung totoo, bakit ngayon lang siya nagsalita, hindi noon?

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: JDV is too late a hero; it could be divine will that he is not a factor anymore in Congress to impeach PGMA but to let her reach the finish line victoriously. The impeachment case against PGMA went haywire again. Those wishing to oust PGMA have to examine themselves and search their souls to clear their heart, mind and soul.

A complete waste of time

Gerry del Cano, Muntinlupa City: What I see is that it is a waste of time and taxpayers’ money. The public will suffer in the end at the expense of these supposedly honorable public servants.

Erwin Espinosa, Pangasinan: Ho-hum. Wala na ba tayong mas matinong isyung mapag-usapan kaysa dyan?  Let’s move on to more pressing matters, like our economic woes, maybe.

I.Q. Calata, Parañaque City: This hearing on the JDV impeachment complaint in the Lower House should be stopped. I see no clear ending for this and it is just a waste of time and money. It also deviates the attention of our legislators and the entire government from the urgent need to do something about our economic problem brought about by the global crisis triggered by the US financial meltdown. Moreover, the impeachment could usher in another round of payola scandal, if ever it will reach the voting stage in the House. JDV, people say, is no stranger to this seemingly institutionalized costly practice.  

JDV is a powerless trapo

Benjamin Nillo, Las Piñas City: Without the House Speakership, JDV is now a forgotten entity. He is a powerless trapo, to be more specific.

Lorenzo Fernandez Jr., Nueva Ecija: Oh, no, that’s a long shot. It’s better for JDV to also run for President and reserve his Unabomber speeches for the 2010 elections.

The Philippines is a soft state

Dennis Acop, Baguio City: Since the Philippines is a “soft” state, I do not see GMA getting impeached over JDV’s recent bombshells, sad to say. According to development economist Michael Todaro, soft states have grave difficulty enforcing their own laws and usually have governments that rule with impunity over their citizens. The citizens of these states also feel that they are powerless relative to their governments. It is precisely the inherent weaknesses endemic in a soft state that make media exposés of public wrongdoing essential! In a well-functioning state, meritorious suspicion and a strong system are enough to sanction and effect change. In a soft state, powerful wrongdoers in government assume a legal stance to hide behind from, totally missing the moral argument advanced by a battered people whom they have ironically sworn to serve.

Hope it gets somewhere

Crizel Fernandez, Baguio City: I hope that it will progress, what with all the evidence. Huwag naman sanang iisangtabi lang.

June Deoferio, Cavite: Yes, with JDV’s exposure, the impeachment of PGMA will be the start of more revelations of their illegal activities.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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