MANILA, 19 June 2004 — Five weeks after the presidential election, lawmakers yesterday said they have nearly completed the official vote count, with incumbent Gloria Macapagal Arroyo holding a narrow lead.
But a walkout by opposition lawyers, led by the counsel for Arroyo’s main rival Fernando Poe Jr., or FPJ, threw the congressional canvassing committee into an uproar last night by pulling out of its proceedings, accusing the administration of harassment and bias.
The unexpected withdrawals came shortly after Speaker Jose de Venecia warned that the nation would be faced with “an explosive, fully blown constitutional crisis” if Congress failed to proclaim the winner of the presidential race by its deadline of June 30.
Poe’s counsel Sixto Brillantes initiated the withdrawal. He was followed by his colleagues, Rufus Rodriguez and Avelino Cruz, and by Eduardo Escueta and Demaree Raval, representing vice presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda.
Salvador Panelo, counsel for presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva, also pulled out, accusing the panel chair of bias.
The attorneys for presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson were the only opposition lawyers left, sharing the same table with the administration counsel.
Earlier, de Venecia said the committee would go on with its canvass until a winner was proclaimed with or without minority participation.
“The Constitutional deadline of June 30 is something that we cannot fool around with because when that point is reached and there is no proclamation, we will have a vacuum of power, and anything is possible,’’ de Venecia said.
Kidnap Charges
Brillantes announced the pullout during the canvassing session, saying the lead counsels of Poe had been charged with kidnapping an election officer on Basilan Island.
Police have filed charges of illegal detention and grave coercion against lawyers Harriet Demetriou and Rufus Rodriguez, alleging they were involved in the abduction of Hadja Rashma Hali, an election officer from Tipo-Tipo, Basilan, from May 31 to June 9.
Also charged were retired police director Roberto Calinisan, Alliance of Generals for Poe president; Manny Portes, FPJ for President Movement head; a Malik Doe, and several John Does.
Acting Justice Secretary Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez said a panel will investigate the charges to determine if there’s enough evidence to file a case in court.
The opposition allegedly tried to convince Hali to testify against the administration on alleged fraud during the elections.
Besides Hali, the opposition allegedly also abducted Hasim D. Sablin, a coordinator in Basilan of the Filipino for Peace and Justice Movement (FPJM) and Hali’s daughter, Fherdaosia, 20. Gutierrez said there was an allegation that Hali was not released until she agreed to testify for the opposition.
Demetriou denied that she was involved in the alleged abduction of Hali.
Lawyer Raval said the KNP had a videotape and witnesses that showed Hadja Hali was a willing witness.
Narrow Lead
Tabulation went ahead despite the absence the lawyers’ pullout.
As of 10 p.m., with 134 out of a total of 177 certificates of canvass (CoC) counted, President Arroyo led with 6,955, 963 votes as against Poe’s 6,712,063. Sen. Noli De Castro was ahead in the vice presidential race with 8,291,321 votes against Legarda’s 7,690,303.
Asked whether the canvass would be affected or not by the lawyers’ pullout, Gonzalez said: “As long as the committee has a quorum, they will proceed with the canvass.”
“We don’t want them to hold hostage this committee,” Gonzalez said. “This may be a smokescreen from the plan to withdraw from the start but they’re just using this as an excuse,” he said.
Before the drama in Congress, anti-riot police used water cannons to disperse about 100 Poe supporters protesting near Malaca?ang presidential palace over alleged poll cheating.
Poe declared earlier this week that “the fight is not over,” and said Arroyo would be a “bogus president” if she were proclaimed the winner based on fraudulent results.
Government security officials have warned of a myriad of opposition plots, including walkouts and street protests, to prevent Arroyo from claiming victory, although opposition lawmakers have denied any such plans.
“We are concerned about creeping reports of adventurist plots as the congressional canvass drags on,” Arroyo spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement yesterday.
“We are entering a spiral of political economic uncertainty, and it is the duty of every lawmaker to champion a fair and speedy democratic process that will keep the ship of state steady on course,” he said.
The peso plunged to a record low against the US dollar yesterday, and foreign investors stayed away due to concerns about possible trouble ahead.
The Philippines has been plagued by political turmoil in recent years.
In 2001, Arroyo — then-vice president — helped lead massive protests to topple President Joseph Estrada over alleged corruption. Since she became president, she has put down at least two attempted power grabs. (Input from AP & INS)
