IMPEACHMENT HEARING
Solons in bribe try asked to inhibit
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:15:00 11/18/2008
Filed Under: Impeachment, Congress, Graft & Corruption
MANILA, Philippines -- Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño, one of the endorsers of the impeachment complaint, has asked the justice committee of the House of Representatives to disqualify from participating in the hearing those who have admitted involvement in last year’s alleged bribery by Malacañang of their colleagues.
At the start of the hearing on the impeachment complaint, Casiño said "it will not look good" if their colleagues would take part in the discussions when they themselves were involved in the bribery, one of the charges against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the latest impeachment complaint.
Casiño named deputy speaker Amelita Villarosa who admitted that she distributed money to at least two congressmen.
Justice committee chairman Matias Defensor said the committee could not disqualify members from participating in the hearing, but that they could voluntarily inhibit.
Villarosa said she would consider inhibiting herself from the hearing, but that for now, she has decided to stay.
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