Nograles: House will start to act on impeach raps vs Arroyo on Monday
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/09/2008 5:32 PM
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Without waiting for the lapse of the mandatory period, Speaker Prospero Nograles on Sunday said he is set to endorse on Monday to the House of Representatives the latest impeachment complaint filed against the President.
Nograles is required to include the complaint in the lower chamber's order of business within 10 session days. The speaker would then refer the complaint to the House Committee on Justice within three session days thereafter.
In a text message, Nograles said he "will also instruct the justice committee to act 'swiftly but judiciously' and to follow the rules in handling the impeachment complaint."
President Arroyo's critics, led by Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, filed on October 13 a new impeachment complaint over alleged corruption, and constitutional and human rights violations. The new allegations mainly revolved around charges of misconduct regarding the scrapped national broadband network deal between the Philippine government and China's ZTE Corp.
The latest impeachment complaint was filed while the lower chamber's session was adjourned. It is set to resume its session on November 10.
Nograles assured however that no one will be standing in the way of the scheduled legislative agenda of the House of Representatives, saying that the proceedings on the latest impeachment complaint against President Arroyo will neither be divisive nor be used for "media grandstanding."
Congress resumes session
With the resumption of the 14th Congress' second session on Monday, Nograles, in a separate statement, said that the House of Representatives aims to cover at least 102 bills of national importance. He expressed optimism that proponents and opponents of controversial bills will find meet halfway, facilitating smooth plenary approval.
"We will have to act on these measures but we want to find a middle ground so that the measures are acceptable to everyone...so that we can move on to the more important legislative work of the House," he said.
During the Congress' second regular session, 48 bills have already been passed, amounting to 77 bills of national application as of October 10, said Nograles. These do not include measures signed into law by President Arroyo, the latest of which is a law instituting a socialized and low-cost housing loan restructuring program.
Priority measures
Aside from the proposed P1.42 trillion budget for 2009 which is scheduled for third and final approval, Nograles said that there are many things that the House needs to address before its next recess on December 20. These, according to him, are mainly social and economic "parachutes" designed to shield the country from the effects of the global financial crisis.
House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said that these measures are up for second reading plenary approval, as included in their "Calendar of Unfinished Business:" House Bill (HB) 5241 or the Investments and Incentives Code of the Philippines; HB 4077 or the act which extends the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program; HB 5043 or the Reproductive Health Bill, and HB 3127 or the act which amends the Electric Power Industry Act of 2001.
The plenary is also expected to tackle HB 431, which provides the venue for civil and criminal action in libel cases against journalists, publications, and broadcast stations.
The statement said that they will also be acting on measures involving electoral reforms, cultural communities, the Mindanao peace process, the role of people's organizations in the budget process, youth and women concerns and family relations, and jobs creation and housing, among others.
As of the Congress' second reading, the following bills have already been approved:
- HB 4273 or the Magna Carta of Women
- HB 5077 or the act which strengthens the Anti-Money Laundering Law
- HB 3566 or the Political Party Development Act of 2007
- HB 5229 or the Tourism Act of 2008
- HB 3012 or the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2007
- HB 5220 or the Pag-ibig Fund Law of 2008
- HB 5208 or the Technology Act of 2008
- HB 5207 or the Subdivision Green Parks Act of 2008
- HB 5228 or the Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2008
- HB 5115 or the Lemon Law of 2008
- HB 5219 or the Philippine Hazardous and Radioactive Wastes Management Act of 2007
- HB 5210 or the act which amends the National International Revenue Code of 1997.
