3 lawmakers endorse impeach raps vs Noy

MANILA, Philippines - Three party-list representatives endorsed the impeachment complaint filed yesterday by 28 militant groups and individuals against President Aquino with the House of Representatives.

Their endorsement of the complaint made it the first valid impeachment case against the President.

Reacting to the filing of the impeachment complaint, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it is up to the President’s allies in Congress to do what they believe is appropriate.

In separate resolutions of endorsement, Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna and Fernando Hicap of Anakpawis said they have read the complaint and found it to be “sufficient in form and substance.”

The three, who belong to the Makabayan bloc, along with Makabayan chairman former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, accompanied the complainants led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) to the House to file their complaint.

Ocampo said he wanted to give the complainants moral support.

A fourth Makabayan member, Rep. Antonio Tinio of Alliance of Concerned Teachers, was present during the filing but did not sign as an endorser.

Asked why he did not sign, Tinio said, “I am reserving my signature for another complaint that may be filed.”

Bayan’s co-complaints include Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, Citizens Crime Watch, Migrante, Kilusang Mayo Uno, and Scrap Pork Network.

Among the individual complainants are retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Bishop Emergencio Padillo of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Bishop Joselito Cruz of Iglesia Filipina Independiente, former representatives Lisa Maza of Gabriela and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, and Concepcion Empeño, mother of missing student activist Karen Empeño.

Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Anakpawis were among militant party-list groups that had consistently filed impeachment complaints every year against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she was in power.

Arroyo’s allies frustrated every impeachment effort against her.

Bayan and its co-complainants accused Aquino of “culpable violation of the Constitution” by pooling public funds under his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“The unconstitutional and void acts include premature pooling of funds that are not in reality savings, the cross-border transfer of funds to augment the appropriation of other offices outside the executive branch, funding of projects that are not covered by the General Appropriations Act (annual national budget), and the use of unprogrammed funds,” they said. –  With Delon Porcalla, Marvin Sy, Rhodina Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan