Arroyo camp: Ban on 2nd impeach case far from over

The opposition bloc in the House of Representatives remains barred from filing a second impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, elections lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Tuesday. Macalintal said the one-year ban on a new impeachment case against the President is still in effect because the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the petition questioning the decision of administration congressmen to junk the opposition-endorsed amended complaint. The Constitution allows only one impeachment complaint to be filed against the president or other impeachable officials within one year. Lawyer Oliver Lozano filed the first impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo on June 26 last year while the minority bloc filed its amended petition a month later. Opposition lawmakers alleged that out of three impeachment complaints prepared against President Arroyo, the House supposedly ended up evaluating the weakest case filed by lawyer Oliver Lozano. Macalintal was quoted by GMA 7's DZBB as saying that before the political opposition could file the new impeach raps, they would have to wait until the SC rules on the motion for reconsideration filed in relation to the first impeachment bid against Mrs. Arroyo. The waiting time, he said, would be longer because the one-year ban starts only when the SC hands down its decision. "Mababalewala lang ang second impeach bid nila kasi hindi pa nagwawakas ang one-year ban sa paghain ng impeach complaint dahil inapela ito sa Supreme Court," he said. Macalintal added: "Once na mag-issue ng ruling ang SC, pagkalipas pa ng one year puwede mag-hain ng new impeachment case ang opposition." The political opposition in the House already started mustering support for its new impeachment bid against the President. The second impeachment complaint, expected to be filed on June 26, would dwell on three main charges: the "use of dictatorial powers", "crimes against humanity", and graft and corruption. The summary of the charges was contained in a document sent to GMA News by lawyer Harry Roque, who is drafting the impeachment complaint. Meanwhile, House majority leader Prospero Nograles told GMA 7's DZBB members of the minority bloc would be wasting their time and effort in their new impeach-President Arroyo bid. Nograles remained confident the opposition group would fail to gather the necessary numbers to elevate the impeachment case to the Senate, pointing out that congressmen who voted against the first complaint “have not changed their minds … their positions remain the same." He likewise said: "Last time, 51 pirma lang ang nakuha nila, short na short. Ngayon, based on interviews of the minority before the recess … Feeling ko, they still don’t have the numbers. At kung wala pa rin silang numbers, huwag na lang. Sayang na naman ang i-spend namin na three to four months para diyan, we have better things to do." Besides, he said, next year would already be election year and "they can use this chance to gauge public support for the administration. If they field opposition candidate and they win, that is a strong signal na talagang wala na siyang (Mrs. Arroyo) public support." The minority group needs at least 79 votes to elevate the case to the Senate, which would then be converted into an impeachment court that would try the charges against the President. He claimed President Arroyo could not get "fair" trial at the Senate because "the Senate is too hostile against the President. With the private pronouncements of senators, we can already see that they are already raring to convict her."-GMANews.TV