MANILA, 9 November 2005 — A people’s court convened in the Philippines by foes of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo got off to a raucous start yesterday when a dozen of her supporters tussled with opposition delegates.

Arroyo, who narrowly won a new term last year, survived an attempt to impeach her in September over allegations of election cheating and corruption in her family, but her opponents have vowed to press their demands that she step down.

The people’s court, meeting at the University of the Philippiness’ theater for the first of four hearings, was formed by anti-Arroyo groups and minority leaders shortly after the failed impeachment.

The tribunal, which has no official power, has been called a “kangaroo court” by Arroyo’s government.

Convenors of the court, the Citizens’ Congress for Truth and Accountability led by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona and opposition politicians, were set to start hearing testimony against Arroyo when the scuffle began.

“We are gathered here today in the wake of a national crisis to perform a vital task,” said Guingona, who left as Arroyo’s foreign secretary in mid-2002 and then as vice president before the 2004 election after the two fell out.

“Public office is a public trust and if that trust is betrayed, people have the right to know who and how the trust was breached,” he said.

The allegations against Arroyo began in earnest in early June, rattling investors and bringing her presidency to the brink of collapse in early July when much of her economic team quit and many allies deserted her.

But Arroyo has denied doing anything wrong and her foes have so far failed to whip up the kind of broad public anger that forced out her predecessor Joseph Estrada in 2001 and dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 with huge street protests in Manila.

Scuffle

The hearing was momentarily disrupted when supporters of Arroyo started shouting slogans to denounce the proceedings.

“This people’s court is a scheme by the communists,” one member of the pro-Arroyo Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) shouted.

“They want to bring down this government. They want to break down democracy,” the protester said.

Members of ANAD loudly accused the CCTA of being a “communist” instrument.

They started shouting while Prof. Maria Serena Diokno was defining the CCTA as a transparent fact-finding body that would accept contrary views and evidence for its consideration.

They continued shouting and ignored requests of the organizers for them to occupy the seats reserved for the president’s representatives, prompting marshals to lead them away.

As the ANAD members were being led out, incensed congress delegates threw punches at them.

Secret Witness

A witness to alleged election fraud who could not be named as a security measure was the first to testify at the hearing, according to human rights lawyer Romeo Capulong.

“This witness can’t be identified right now because of a matter of security,” Capulong told the Inquirer after the session wound up before 1 p.m.

“There will be four to five witnesses in the charge of electoral fraud, and all of them can be named except for this one,” he said.

He identified the other witnesses as Frank Chavez, a former solicitor general, and Danilo Ramos, chair of the militant farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, who, he said, would both testify on the P728-million fertilizer fund that was allegedly diverted to Arroyo’s campaign kitty in 2004.

Another witness is Connie Regalado, head of the migrant workers group Migrante, who will testify on the alleged use of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration funds for the distribution of Philhealth cards during the campaign period, he said.

Long Speeches

What took up much of the time was the speeches of House Minority Floor Leader Francis Escudero and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano outlining the charges against Arroyo and the evidence that could have been used to back the impeachment complaint. “We’re here to give President Arroyo a chance to answer the charges against her. This is a chance that was not given Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada,” Escudero said.

“It’s a good thing President Arroyo or (Environment Secretary Michael) Defensor sent a representative,” he said.

Defensor sent lawyer Cybill Uytiepo to observe the proceedings and come up with a report that will serve as basis of whether he will attend the next sessions.

Asked about Uytiepo’s report, Defensor said: “It would seem that all presentations were to strengthen their already decided position — that the president cheated. (Were the proceedings) objective? I don’t think (so).”

He said he might not show up if the sessions would continue the way they started yesterday.

“The problem with this fact-finding is that it has become a media presentation. They should have studied election laws and exit polls, and analyzed (election returns),” he said.

No Trial

During the session, Capulong said there would be no trial of Arroyo.

“After a long process, the convenors and the steering committee as well as the presidium have clarified that the CCTA will not conduct a trial. It will not prosecute (Arroyo),” he said, adding:

“And so this morning, I rise not to indict (her but) to ask her simple questions — questions which she continues to ignore and the answers to which she continues to suppress with all the awesome powers and resources at her command.”

Capulong’s questions covered the three main charges in the amended impeachment complaint that was dismissed on “procedural and technical grounds.”

In sum, Capulong asked Arroyo about her role in the alleged poll fraud in 2004, the cover-up of the “Hello, Garci” scandal, graft and corruption, and human rights violations against militants, including assassinations, forced disappearances and torture.

‘Illegal Proceedings’

Malacañang Palace apparently could not be bothered.

“They can go ahead (with their proceedings), but we have expressed our stand on this,” Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye told reporters. “We have said that this is an illegal proceeding,” he added.

Bunye reiterated that the Palace viewed the CCTA as a “kangaroo court.”

He also declined to comment on the incident involving supporters of the president, saying: “Let’s leave the parties affected to file their case.”

Like Bunye, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the activity of the CCTA was illegal.

“As far as I’m concerned, what they’re doing is not legal. What is the basis of swearing in people to testify?” he said. (Input from Reuters & Inquirer News Service)