JDV III not giving up; will file Arroyo impeachment complaint Monday
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/12/2008 1:12 PM
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After failing on Saturday, Jose “Joey” de Venecia III said he is not giving up on his bid to have President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo impeached. He will return to the House of Representatives on Monday to file his 97-page impeachment complaint against the President.
He added that House Speaker Prospero Nograles would have to respect the filing of the impeachment complaint since it would stand on its own merit.
De Venecia said that he will be accompanied on Monday by personalities who signed his impeachment complaint including Editha Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos; former Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Undersecretary Josefina Lichauco; lawyer Harry Roque, Jr.; Iloilo vice governor and former congressman Rolex Suplico; Jose Luis Alcuaz, former director of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO); Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairman Danilo Ramos; Karapatan Deputy Secretary-General Roneo Clamor; Elmer Labor, chairman of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU); activist Renato Contstantino; actor Rez Cortez, Leah Navarro, Henry Kahn, Armando Albarillo, and Bebu Bulchand.
Party List groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Anak Pawis have endorsed De Venecia’s impeachment complaint.
Although he is looking forward to the House Justice Committee’s recommendation, De Venecia is concerned that the impeachment proceedings may not push through given the increasing number of Lower House members who support the move for charter change to extend Mrs. Arroyo’s presidential term.
The son of former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. failed to file the impeachment complaint on Saturday because House Secretary General Marilyn Yap was not in her office and had flown to Switzerland.
His first complaint accuses Mrs. Arroyo of betrayal of public trust after she approved the ZTE-NBN deal, saying that the deal was overpriced by at least $130M.
Other complaints accuse the president of culpable violation for approving the Northrail rehabilitation project and numerous human rights violations; bribery for her role in the ZTE-NBN deal; and graft and corruption for her administration's involvement in various irregularities including the P728M fertilizer scam, P2B swine scam and alleged ballot-switching in the 2004 presidential election. With a report from Ricky Velasco, DZMM
