Impeach move vs Noy won’t prosper – lawmakers

MANILA, Philippines - The new impeachment move against President Aquino in the House of Representatives is counter-productive and will not prosper, congressmen said yesterday.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III called on his colleagues in the minority to wait for an independent inquiry into Sunday’s killing of 44 police personnel in Maguindanao before deciding on initiating a fresh impeachment move against Aquino.

“Let us not stoke the outrage over the horrible death of 44 gallant SAF (Special Action Force) commandos through an impeachment move that will be counter-productive, precipitate and imprudent as the facts behind this lamentable incident still have to be ferreted out,” he said.

“The call of the hour in the House of Representatives is for all members of Congress to help create an environment that would stabilize the national situation by refraining from stoking the fires of public outrage over the so-called new Maguindanao massacre,” he said.

He appealed to the people and his colleagues in Congress for sobriety and calmness.

“While we are one in mourning with the entire Filipino nation and with the distraught and grieving families and relatives of the slain SAF heroes, let us not lose sight of the fundamental advocacy of the present government to achieve peace in strife-torn Mindanao,” Albano said.

“Let us give peace a chance. Our quest for peace in Mindanao is in sight with the government’s relentless efforts to turn this goal into reality. The quest for peace is not easy but it should be tempered with justice, truth, love and our pursuit of happiness. Let not the death of our heroes be in vain,” he said.

For his part, Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas City in Cavite said President Aquino did not commit an impeachable offense in authorizing the arrest of two terrorists in Maguindanao.

“There might have been lapses, but could those be attributed to the President? Assuming he committed them, would they amount to an impeachable offense?” he asked.

Like many people, Barzaga said he could not understand why Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina were not informed of SAF’s Maguindanao operation. As DILG chief, Roxas has supervision over the Philippine National Police, including the SAF.