Solons engage in verbal war over impeachment

Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo and Rep. Neptali "Boyet" Gonzalez of Mandaluyong City exchanged angry and sarcastic words yesterday over how the House justice committee should proceed with the impeachment process.

Arroyo told reporters that he was irritated by Gonzalez’s lecture on Monday about the rules to be followed by the justice panel in handling the impeachment complaint against President Estrada.

"Boyet makes it appear that he is a better lawyer than many of us by lecturing us on rules. That is what is irritating," the fuming former executive secretary said.

He proceeded to cite the impeachment rules only to conclude with an appeal to the President’s allies in the House not to resort to technicalities.

At one point, the usually cool Makati congressman uncharacteristically hurled an unprintable at Gonzalez, who was not in the news conference to hear it.

"Technicalities are not important here. What is more important is the substance of the charges against the President," he stressed.

He added that what also irritates him is that "the President is using the majority to block the impeachment process against him."

The Mandaluyong congressman, in a separate interview, said he was happy that "Joker is now beginning to read the rules in his last term in Congress."

He insisted that even if those supporting the impeachment of the President now get 73 votes, they cannot short-cut the impeachment process and will still have to wait for the justice committee to make a decision on the complaint.

He said it is different if they have the 73 votes (one-third of House members) upon the filing of the complaint, in which case, hearings by the justice panel are not necessary and the petition is sent directly to the Senate so the President can be tried immediately.

However, Rep. Antonio Nachura (LP, Samar), one of several Liberal Party members who have signed the complaint, said the petitioners, once they number at least 73, could file an amended complaint which should not be treated as a new or separate petition.

That is not in the rules and is therefore debatable, Gonzalez said.

Arroyo and Gonzalez actually belong to the administration Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) coalition.

But unlike Gonzalez, who is a deputy majority leader in the House, Arroyo counts himself with the minority and is one of its representatives in the justice committee.

The Mandaluyong congressman will be the temporary chairman of the justice panel when it meets Nov. 6 to tackle the impeachment complaint.

Several congressmen, including committee members, have urged him to give way to either Rep. Oscar Rodriguez (LAMP, Pampanga) or Rep. Wigberto Tañada (LP, Quezon), since he has openly supported Mr. Estrada in the impeachment controversy.

Both Rodriguez and Tañada are widely respected for their probity and solid integrity. Both are human rights lawyers.– Jess Diaz