MANILA, 25 August 2006 — Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo easily foiled an attempt by political opponents to unseat her yesterday, but any hopes of ending the debilitating political crisis were quickly dashed.
Her opponents vowed to fight on to oust her, saying they would take evidence of her alleged wrongdoing on a “truth caravan” to schools and communities, and seek to turn next year’s local and congressional elections into a battleground aimed at eroding her allies’ dominance in the House of Representatives.
The House voted 173-32, with one abstention, to uphold a ruling last week by its justice committee to dismiss the impeachment complaint on a technicality. That blocked a potentially explosive trial in the Senate, an opposition stronghold, on allegations of vote-rigging, corruption, human rights abuses and violations of the constitution.
As the 17-hour session wound down yesterday morning and some legislators yawned, House Speaker Jose de Venecia called the vote a victory for the Philippines, which has been constantly hamstrung by partisan politics since ousting dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and restoring democracy.
“What we have seen in the Philippines happen time and time again (is) this culture of boom and bust, when you see improvement in the economy but by our own hands we commit suicide and destroy these same gains that we’re trying to achieve,” he said in a speech.
Echoing earlier opposition allegations, Rep. Rolex Suplico claimed Arroyo’s administration had bought support with bribes and pork-barrel projects. “Did the president violate her oath of office? The answer, my friends, is that we and the Filipino people will never know,” Suplico said.
Arroyo, due to serve until 2010, survived a previous bid to remove her in 2005.
Financial markets have shrugged off the impeachment attempt because of the president’s majority support in the House of Representatives.
“As far as we are concerned, the impeachment attempt was already dead,” said Astro del Castillo, managing director of investment firm First Grade Holdings in Manila.
The Philippine stock exchange finished 0.02 percent weaker at 2,314.09 points, tracking regional falls.
“Even her detractors knew that the impeachment complaint was defeated and dead from the start,” said Ignacio Bunye, Arroyo’s spokesman. “Let us now bury this issue and just move on.”
With little sign of mass protests that could lead to a “people power” revolt like those which have ousted two presidents, including Arroyo’s predecessor, the next battleground appears to be local and congressional elections in May.
Debate also is expected to start soon on a proposal to switch from a US-style presidential system with a bicameral Congress to a parliamentary system amid calls that something must be done to end the constant political instability.
Arroyo’s chief political adviser, Gabriel Claudio, said the administration is extending its “hand of reconciliation and friendship” to the opposition in hopes of addressing urgent problems jointly.
Opposition legislators spurned Arroyo’s olive branch. They warned that dismissing the impeachment case without hearing the evidence would keep alive the political impasse that began with accusations that she conspired with an election commissioner and military commanders to rig the 2004 election that she won by a million votes.
Rep. Rufino Biazon claimed that Arroyo risked destroying democratic institutions “in her maneuvering to escape accountability.”
Opposition legislators conceded that they did not have the numbers to send the case for trial by the Senate but pleaded to be allowed to present seven boxes of evidence.
“It has been shown that the impeachment process is simply politics and a numbers game ... and not a search for truth and accountability,” said Rep. Erin Tañada.
“That will be written in the tombstone of the impeachment complaint.” Renato Reyes, spokesman for the left-wing alliance Bayan, said the evidence will be presented to universities and communities.
“The impeachment case will be brought to the people themselves. Mass protests will continue and will hound the administration all the way to the 2007 elections.”
Last year, House members voted 158-51 to uphold a committee decision to dismiss the first case against Arroyo. The Constitution bars more than one impeachment complaint in a year. (With input from agencies)
