'Miracle' needed to convict Arroyos: Miriam
MANILA, Philippines -Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago believes it will take a miracle for the Truth Commission and the Philippine justice department to prosecute and eventually convict former president and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband, Mike.
In an exclusive interview in London, Santiago said the Truth Commission will only succeed if it gets a "magic witness" that has inside information about the Arroyos' alleged complicity in crimes.
A known Arroyo ally and former regional trial court judge for many years, Santiago knows what it takes to establish proof beyond reasonable doubt.
She said former Chief Justice Hilario Davide faces a tough challenge to collate solid evidence that would pin the Arroyos.
At best, she said the Truth Commission will only be able to uncover circumstancial evidence against the former First Couple especially in the "Hello, Garci" case wherein Arroyo allegedly cheated in the 2004 presidential election.
In other celebrated cases like the ZTE-NBN broadband deal and multimillion-peso fertilizer scam, Santiago said these will also require a lot of time and energy for government.
She even doubts if former agriculture secretary Cito Lorenzo can shed light into the fertilizer mess.
Unlike former president Joseph Estrada, Santiago believes Davide has the credibility, legal training and wisdom to be an effective leader of the proposed Truth Commission.
On the issue of foreign policy, Santiago challenged President Aquino to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US, claiming it has become irrelevant.
She also called on Aquino to heed the Senate resolution because of alleged loopholes in the contract.
Santiago reiterated the US has used Mindanao in its global war against terror and not merely for military training exercises.
She added, however, that she doubts if Aquino will give way to the Senate resolution. She tagged Aquino an "American boy" whose victory in the last election had the support of the US.
This, after Aquino was featured in the front cover of TIME magazine and a special documentary of his father, the late Sen. Ninoy Aquino, aired many times recently in the History Channel.
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OK lang
ok lang kahit di na makulong at least nalaman ng bayan kung gaano ka corrupt ang dating administration especially the ARROYO'S
presidency is an institution..
Let it be known to the general public that the presidency is an institution, therefore cannot be prosecuted and convicted. any citizen of the republic can pursue a case but it has to be done in a due process and in the end 6 yrs wont be enough to finish the job. All individuals involved are public servants in the alleged multiple cases and yet all of them had acquired top calibre proffessions. Tama na ang bangayan...It is endeed a miracle to prove the arroyo's. It's a waste of valuable time, collected money from the public and efforts from the public servants of our nation.
Let's face the truth
I hope PeeNoy got the cue if he is smart enough?! Unless everybody wants another cirque de freak ala Erap without proving a thing, just a bluff, again. I won't be surprised also if the show will proceed kasi mahilig naman tayong pinoy sa telenovela. Goodluck ABNoy.
miracles
miracles do happen. have faith. it will come.
WALANG HIMALA! - by Nora
WALANG HIMALA! - by Nora Aunor from the movie Himala. ^_^
She is just a part of it
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago a known Arroyo ally can be that magic witness if she rally is that all knowing but oh no! At best, she said the Truth Commission will only be able to uncover circumstancial evidence, why? Probably she knows more what happened to the physical evidence. Let's hear more from her. Ti taga Iloilo ka gid inday.
It does not need a miracle.
To some people like Miriam, truth to come out is already a miracle.
Remember when she didn't want for that envelope in the Estrada impeachment to be opened?
I think some people use the law for the sake of law and not for truth and true justice.
I agree with Ilaya. Miracles are acts of God.
For this issue, we need the Truth Commission to squeeze out the truth and not miracle from God.
Some people are also so stupid thinking that they can move forward without correcting what has happened in the past. They fail to understand that it is important that as you do the right things moving forward, you have to correct past mistakes. Wrongdoers have to be punished, otherwise, there will be more wrong doers who think they can get away with their crimes and our country will never improve.
Incredible
The ever loyal Miriam to her master Arroyo is confident nothing can convict the Arroyos. Evidences had been eliminated and no wonder three possible witnesses had been eliminated to the fertilizer scam. Incredible no miracle can be expected from the devils Ampatuans to go against their master Arroyo. Miracles are acts from God and justice will be done.
The same dance
The Arroyos have already taken cared of everything long before the transfer of power. Like I said before, there were variants of truth commission in the past but any attempt to implicate them failed because of lack of sufficient evidence.
So the question now is, is it still worth it to try the same approach? Are we prepared to lose taxpayer's money to a commission that will eventually find nothing? Or should the new government focus instead on improving people's lives and economy?