"Some will try that, no doubt about it, just to delay the process. Voting alone on such a motion will cause some delay," said Assistant Minority Leader Hernani Braganza (Lakas, Pangasinan). He said the most effective way for the minority and Villar's group of independents to fight dilatory tactics and speed up the impeachment process would be to ensure that they have the majority on their side.
He said as of yesterday afternoon, the number of endorsers of the impeachment complaint has grown to 106, and many more have pledged their signatures. He admitted that the ruling party is wooing back with a lot of promises, including fund releases, those who plan to join the pro- impeachment camp.
Whether they succeed in ousting Villar or not, the President's allies could spring another surprise: moving for returning the impeachment complaint to the justice committee. The scenario would be more likely if the Palace allies succeed in installing a new House leader. Sources said if administration congressmen are able to remand the complaint to the justice committee, the panel will sit on it. That is where it will eventually be killed, they said.
He said the plot being hatched by Mr. Estrada's allies is not unexpected even while the President has been saying that he was eager to face a Senate trial so he could answer the charges against him. "Mr. Estrada's propensity for saying one thing and doing another should be obvious by now. Walang kamag-anak, walang kaibigan, 'yun pala, puro kamag-anak at puro kaibigan ang pinaboran (No relatives or friends, when it is all friends and relatives), he said.
He stressed that the minority and Villar's group have more than the minimum 73 votes to eventually send the impeachment complaint to the Senate. The opposition, led by Minority Leader Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Lakas, Quezon City), and the Speaker's bloc of independents make up the core of the emerging majority in the House. They have gained control of the 51-member justice committee, temporarily chaired by Rep. Oscar Rodriguez of Pampanga, and paved the way for the panel last Monday to make the historic vote endorsing the complaint to the House proper.
Estrada wants impeachment case hastened The President batted for a speedy trial of the impeachment case against him, saying; "I have nothing to hide." "It is true that I want this process of impeachment speeded up," Mr. Estrada said, adding that his silence as the case dragged on was being misconstrued as an admission of guilt. "The longer the delay that I have kept silent, (the more) they convict me of being guilty already," the President stressed.
Malacañang earlier issued a press statement quoting Mr. Estrada calling on the legislators, specifically members of LAMP, to immediately set in motion the impeachment proceedings. As if heeding his call, Senate President Franklin Drilon, along with Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Anna Dominique Coseteng declared their defection from LAMP to join the united opposition.
At the House, Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. led 46 pro-administration congressmen in signing the impeachment complaint. The move also signified their departure from the ruling party. Mr. Estrada said the desertions have ceased, adding that some of the deserters have even sent feelers that they wanted to rejoin LAMP, but did not name names. He branded the defections as "disinformation" being waged by the opposition.
Mr. Estrada hailed the statement of support issued by the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) headed by Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara. "I am happy about it because slowly, many of my supporters are coming back." Meanwhile, Press Secretary Ricardo Puno Jr. denied allegations that Malacañang was plotting the ouster of Drilon as Senate President and Villar as Speaker of the House.
"Malacañang will do no such thing because we are not the legislature. Malacañang will not interfere in that process (congressional leadership revamp)," Puno said. Also yesterday, the President said he accepted suggestions by his predecessor and arch critic, former President Fidel Ramos.
However, Mr. Estrada insisted that his management style has been on the right track, particularly in restoring normalcy from the current political and economic turmoil besetting the country. Mr. Estrada cited Monday's rebound of the peso against the dollar, and the upswing of the stock market even as impeachment proceedings against him formally opened at the House. He said he accepted Mr. Ramos' advice on how to improve the economy and for him to mend his ways.
Pimentel seeks impeach rules Pimentel filed Senate Resolution No. 890 seeking the adoption of rules of procedures and practice regarding the impeachment process. Pimentel said with the impending impeachment trial, "it is only proper that the Senate should adopt certain rules or procedures and practice to govern the impeachment proceedings against the President and other impeachable constitutional officials."
Among the salient points of the proposed rules is a provision mandating that the impeachment trial must be conducted daily except Sunday "until final judgment shall be rendered." Other provisions include:
• The (Supreme Court) Chief Justice shall preside over the impeachment proceedings.
• The legislative and executive business of the Senate shall be suspended while it conducts the trial of the impeachment case.
• The person (being) impeached shall be called to appear and answer the articles of impeachment against him although his designated representative may appear on his behalf.
• At all times of the impeachment trial, the doors of the Senate shall be kept open unless the Senate shall direct the doors to be closed while deliberating on its decisions.
• The Senate sitting in an impeachment trial may not adjourn for more than one 24-hour day.
• On the final question of whether the impeachment is sustained, the yeas and nays shall be taken on each article of impeachment separately. If the impeachment shall not, upon any article of the impeachment presented, be sustained by the votes of two-thirds of the members present, a judgment of acquittal shall be entered.
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