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Vol. V, Special Release, Sept. 7, 2005

Explanation of Vote on the Justice Committee’s Report on the Impeachment Complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Delivered by Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
Sept. 5, 2005

The Failure of the so-called Rule of Law and the Impeachment Complaint

Mr. Speaker, my dear colleagues, hindi na ako magkukunwari at magsasabing may pag-asa pa ang impeachment complaint. Malinaw na pinaslang ito nung nakaraang linggo, at ngayon at ililibing na ito dito sa Konggreso. All the same, Mr. Speaker, despite the shocking murder of the impeachment complaint against Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the campaign to remove and replace the corrupt and illegitimate presidency is far from over.

If anything, the fight is only beginning. The defeat of the amended impeachment complaint serves as further reason to intensify and strengthen the protests. The junking of complaint constitutes a serious and unforgivable attack against the Filipino people and their right to know. Mrs. Arroyo’s allies in the House have been relentless in their moves to keep the truth out, and in doing so they have unwittingly set off a chain reaction of events that will inevitably lead to an upheaval that will shake of Malacañang’s very foundations.

It is the belief of this Representation that allies of the President carried the immoral and unjust agenda to have a most substantial and most credible impeachment complaint dismissed at the flimsiest, weakest technical excuses and standards. No one was fooled or taken in by this ruse. No one, not even amongst their ranks, for a moment believes that these efforts were not pushed or influenced by the executive so desperate to cling to an office she never had the legal right to occupy.

Mr. Speaker, the president’s allies can gloat, but they will not have the last laugh. All sectors of the Filipino people opposed to corruption, abuse of authority and against electoral fraud are outraged by the run -around the leaders of the Majority bloc and allies of the president made in deliberating over the impeachment complaint.

Mr. Speaker, history is what compels this Representation to insist that President Arroyo and her allies are mistaken if they believe that the crisis is over. The murder of the amended complaint convinces more Filipinos that the process and rule of law are often reduced to catch phrases, empty words that carry no weight because they are essentially controlled and manipulated by a powerful few.

Samantala, Mr. Speaker, kailangan banggitin na rin ang iba pang kadahilanan kung bakit may malakas na nananawagan sa pagpapatalsik kay Ginang Arroyo mula pagkapangulo.

Wala syang nagawa upang pigilan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at iba pang produktong petrolyo. Wala syang ginagawa upang pigilan ang pagsirit ng presyo ng mga batayang produkto tulad ng bigas, kape, asukal, karne, isda at gulay.

Hilahod na rin sa hirap ang taumbayan dahil sa taas ng singil sa kuryente, tubig, at renta sa bahay. Libo-libong kabataang estudyante ang hindi makapag-aral dahil sa taas ng matrikula. Milyon-milyon ang walang kakayanang magpagamot o magpatingin man lang sa mga ospital dahil sa taas din ng singil sa serbisyong pagkalusugan. Napakamahal din ng gamot. Napakaraming walang trabaho. Laganap ang human rights violations na ginagawa ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at iba pang mersenaryong pwersa ng gobyerno. Kinakain naman ng bakulaw na kurapsyon at dambuhalang utang panlabas ang bilyon-bilyong kita ng pamahalaan na mula sa buwis-dugo ng mamamayan.

Mr. Speaker, aabutin tayo kahit hanggang bukas makalawa kung pag-uusapan natin ang mga kahinaan at kakulangan ng gobyerno sa mamayan. Pero may apat na salitang maglalarawan pa ng dagdag na pahirap sa taumbayan na kagagawan din ni Pangulong Arroyo: Expanded Value-Added Tax o EVAT.

Ito at ang mga akusasyong nakalahad sa amended complaint ay mga matitibay na dahilan kung bakit malakas ang panawagan para sa pagpapalit ng presidente at pamunuan. Ito rin ang mga usaping pilit winalis ng mga kaalyado ni Pangulong Arroyo sa ilalim ng floor-to-floor rug ng bulwagang ito.

Mr. Speaker, honorable colleagues, for this representation there is no other option left for the people to take given that Mrs. Arroyo has flatly refused to resign or allow herself to be impeached. Sa mga susunod na araw at linggo, masasaksihan ng buong bansa at ng mundo kung ano ang nalalabing solusyon ng taumbayan sa isang problemang ayaw bumaba sa pwesto, magpa-impeach o magpa-imbestiga man lang.

Mr. Speaker, mga kapawa kinatawan, magkita-kita na lamang po tayo sa lansangan, sa lunsaran ng mga protesta ng mamamayan. I vote No to the Justice Committee’s report No. 1012. Maraming salamat.

Posted by Bulatlat

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