Aquino allies block efforts to correct impeach rap

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Tension rose in the House of Representatives as allies of President Benigno Aquino III objected to the move to allow the endorsers to correct the error in one of the complaints impeaching the president over the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

During Tuesday’s hearing of the justice committee, chair Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. said he is allowing that the endorsers of the complainants be allowed to correct an error in their endorsement resolution of the complaint.

Tupas said this is for the interest of “liberality.”

But allies of the president immediately objected. Among them are Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo, Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone, and Deputy Speaker Sergio Apostol.

As the allies raised their hands to object, an irate Tupas shouted “point of order” and called for a break.

After the break, the committee moved to find the rap sufficient in form as amended.

But Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares maintained that a technical error is not enough to find that the complaint is insufficient in form.

The first two complaints were about Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of the stimulus program declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The third is over the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which seeks a greater US military presence in the country despite a constitutional ban on foreign bases.

The impeachment raps were endorsed by militant lawmakers Bayan Muna Representatives Colmenares and Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Representative Fernando Hicap, Kabataan Representative Terry Ridon, Act Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio aand Gabriela Representative Emmi De Jesus.

A fourth impeachment rap accused Aquino of sustaining the outlawed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the 2014 budget. The SC declared as unconstitutional the congressional pork at the height of a corruption scandal under the alleged scheme of Janet Lim-Napoles.

But the complaint failed to reach the floor in time for the committee referral of the first three complaints.

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