Political quagmire persists

The second impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been junked early this morning. This means that political crisis in this country continues.

Arroyo escapes another impeachment try
Source: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

The House of Representatives this morning junked the second impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Voting 173-32, with one abstention, the Lower House adopted the justice committee’s report endorsing the dismissal of the complaint for lack of substance. The deliberations lasted 17 hours.

Had the opposition mustered 78 votes, the report would have been transmitted back to the committee level for full deliberations on its merits, which will include the presentation of evidence or it would have gone straight to the Senate for an impeachment trial.

Malacañang, meanwhile, is “thankful” that the impeachment hearings have finally ended. Political adviser Gabriel Claudio told reporters that the administration is hoping that “the process of healing” will begin and that the impeachment issue “will be replaced by more important matters.”

Last year, the House voted 158-51 to dismiss the first impeachment complaint filed against Arroyo. At that time, there were six abstentions and 21 lawmakers were absent.

The latest impeachment complaint, filed by the Black and White Movement, accuses Arroyo of graft and corruption, betrayal of public of public trust, culpable violations of the 1987 Constitution, bribery and other high crimes.

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