Militant groups on Monday staged a rally in the House of Representatives as anti-pork barrel groups filed an impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino over the Disbursement Acceleration Program. MARC CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Anti-pork barrel groups on Monday filed an impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III over the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
The complainants filed the complaint at the House of Representatives Secretary General’s office around 11 a.m.
The groups want Aquino impeached for “violating the Constitution by usurping Congress’ power of the purse…” according to Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate.
They also want Aquino’s head for “betraying the public trust by exacerbating the corrupt pork barrel system, committing tyrannical abuse of his powers, violating his oath of office and perpetrating multiple counts of technical malversation and corruption of public officials.”
“For this, he must be held accountable so that lessons must be learned. For this he must be impeached,” the prefatory of the complaint read.
The complaint was endorsed by Colmenares and Zarate, and Anakpawis Representative Fernando Hicap.
There are 28 petitioners in the complaint. They are: Bagong Alyansa Makabayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr.; Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) President Ferdinand Gaite; Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) President Dante Jimenez; Citizens Crime Watch President Atty. Jose Malvar Villegas; Retired archbishop Oscar Cruz; United Church of Christ in the Philippines Bishop Emergencio Padillo; Iglesia Filipina Independentia Bishop Joselito Cruz.
Former Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza; University of the Philippines professor Judy Taguiwalo; musician Monet Silvestre; Church People’s Alliance Against Pork Barrel convenor Father Benjamin Alforque; Marie Sol Villalon of the Promotion for Church People’s Response; Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines president Sandra Cam; Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chair Rafael Mariano; Kilusang Mayo Uno chair Elmer Labog; Migrante International chair Gerry Martinez; UP professor Danilo Arao; RX Pork convenor Robert Mendoza
Scrap Pork Network leaders Mae Paner (also known as Juana Change), Inday Varona, Noemi Lardizabal-Dado, and Deng Silorio; Alerto Mamimili convenor Lolita Donato; Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) chair Gloria Arellano; Maria Aurora Santiago; Joan Mae Salvador of Gabriela; Anakbayan chair Vencer Crisostomo; and Concepcion Empeno, mother of missing UP activist Karen Empeño.
Originally posted at 11:36 am | Monday, July 21, 2014
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