Statement on the House Justice Committee’s vote to proceed with the impeachment hearings

Press Statement
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
Sept. 28, 2010

We congratulate the House Justice Committee for its decision to continue with the impeachment proceedings. It is a valid assertion of the power of the House of Representatives especially when it is quite obvious that the Ombdusman has done nothing but delay or weaken the impeachment process. The committee decision is a welcome development especially for those who have long sought accountability from government officials.

For too long, the impeachment process has become a most unfriendly arena for citizens wishing to make their officals accountable. It is good that the present committee is now more responsive to public clamor for accountability.

We maintain our position that it is premature for the Ombudsman to seek relief with the Supreme Court since the committee has just concluded the stage of determining the form and substance of the complaints, and when the committee is just about to commence the determination of the grounds for impeachment.

We maintain our position that having two or more impeachment complaints in one impeachment proceedings does not violate any law. The often-abused notion that there can only be one complaint per year is a narrow and erroneous interpretation of the law that places complainants at a disadvantage. For the last five years, this notion has turned the impeachment process into a virtuan rat-race. ###