MANILA, Philippines—On the request of opposition lawmakers, the House committee on justice has called off the impeachment hearings scheduled for Thursday and Friday, the committee chairman said.

Representative Matias Defensor said the committee will convene anew to hear the fourth bid to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at 9 a.m. Monday.

The House panel has scheduled marathon hearings on the impeachment complaint, which started Tuesday this week.

Defensor said members of the opposition bloc, through Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, asked for more time to prepare for the presentation of the charges against the President.

"The opposition requested they be given enough time," Defensor said. "The majority is prepared, but we have to give them all the chance to prepare."

Despite the cancellation, Defensor said the impeachment proceedings remained on schedule.