NR0831 Lozano, Marcoleta should explain

August 31, 2005
PGMA and allies made a mockery of the impeachment
process

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said
that Alagad Party-list Rodante Marcoleta and Atty.
Lozano should give explanations regarding the supposed
‘rigged’ impeachment complaint they filed and
endorsed respectively. Beltran said that the
possibility that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has in
fact colluded with two aforementioned individuals in
filing an impeachment complaint against the former
exposes how the process of impeachment itself and the
rules governing it are inherently flawed and biased in
favor of public officials, especially the executive.

“Rep. Marcoleta and Atty. Lozano stand to be accused
of deliberately sabotaging the impeachment process and
maliciously making a mockery of it. The accusations
that the impeachment process was rigged from day 1 are
serious. It would be better for them to provide
explanations. Had they, indeed, allowed themselves to
be PGMA’s henchmen in filing and endorsing a
fraudelent impeachment complaint?”

“Instead of being an instrument for justice, the
impeachment process when handled and manipulated by
the ruling clique and the incumbent administration
becomes an added protection for the accused. Ideally,
impeachment is supposed to work in service of the
common people’s quest for justice against corruption
– a safeguard against abuse of authority and
betrayal of trust incumbent in public office. But now,
given recent revelations that Pres. Arroyo herself is
behind the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver
Lozano, it’s been exposed that for the most part,
the impeachment process is nothing but a game of
numbers. The true intent and objective has become
mangled and twisted by the anti-impeachment solons and
allies of Malacanang. The tyranny and abuse of the
majority winning over the voice of truth and the calls
for justice and genuine true process.”

Beltran said that in the future, serious and radical
amendments should be made to the impeachment rules and
other principles governing impeachment of public
officials. “These rules should be made watertight
and highly difficult to twist and misinterpret to
favor the accused public official – especially if
the officials concerned belong to the highest offices
such as the executive. The guiding principle should be
this – evidence must be heard out and testimonies
acknowledged.”

Beltran said that Sec. Gabby Claudio’s statement
that the opposition should be blamed for any more dips
in the economy and the worsening of the political
atmosphere is ridiculous. “He should be pointing the
finger at his boss and her hardworking allies in
Congress. It’s because of their shameless
determination to keep the truth hidden from view that
is causing the worsening of the political situation.
What’s more, even without the impeachment complaint
or the exposure of the controversial “Hello,
Garci?” tapes, the economy was on an unstoppable
nosedive. Apart from the serious charges of electoral
fraud and corruption, Pres. Arroyo is also being
called to take account for the relentless oil price
hikes and the increasing unemployment rate, both of
which are among the main causes for the serious
deterioration of the living conditions of
Filipinos.”#