Impeachment trial ends way ahead of schedule - ROSES AND THORNS By Alejandro R. Roces

The impeachment trial is a first in many ways. It is not only the first impeachment trial in the Philippines but in all of Asia. And it is the very first Philippine trial that was literally witnessed by the whole nation from beginning to end. Everyone was saying that there would be trouble if the senator-judges based their decision not on the evidence presented but on partisan considerations. But no one anticipated that it would end way ahead of schedule. The fact is that when pro-administration senators voted to reject the opening of an envelope that supposedly contained the evidence that would prove that the Chief Executive had PhP3.3 billion in secret bank deposits, it was tantamount to an acquittal.

We must admire the way certain individuals sacrificed their positions to uphold justice. First, there was Speaker Manuel Villar, who lost the speakership because of his stand on the impeachment case in the lower house. And now the resignation of Aquilino Pimentel Jr. as Senate president.

We believe that the premature end of the impeachment trial will trigger social unrest all over the country. The people will not accept the decision. So with no hope from the Senate, the people will have to rely on their own power. And when we say people, we refer to the people in all walks of life. This is an issue that will unite the rich and the poor, the elitist and the underprivileged. This is going to be People Power 2.

We have faith in the armed forces. They, too, witnessed the trial and they know when evidence is immaterial and when it is suppressed. The armed forces refused to take action against the people on two historical occasions – the noise barrage and the EDSA Revolution. They know the character of their present Commander-in-Chief – inveterate gambler, drinker and womanizer. They also know that their main duty is to protect the public.

So expect demonstrations everywhere. They reflect the people’s hunger for justice. It was not only President Estrada that was being tried by the Senate. It was the Senate itself that was on trial and they have betrayed the people. We believe that the Senate should be abolished. We should adopt the parliamentary system of government.

Since we could not depend on the impeachment trial for justice, the people will simply have to go back to their original demand of asking President Estrada to voluntarily resign. For his own good, we hope he will take the opportunity to do the last noble deed he can do during his incumbency as president. Our economy cannot even start to recover so long as he is in power. Expect the peso to hit another record low, the stock values to go down and foreign investors to get their investments out of the country. The future of the country is in the hands of the people.