During Aquino impeach raps hearing, Aquino ally called ‘balimbing’

MANILA, Philippines — Tension rose in the House of Representatives when Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares took a swipe against a Liberal Party stalwart for being a “balimbing” (turncoat) when he shifted to being an Aquino ally from being a supporter of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

During Tuesday’s justice committee hearing the three impeachment complaints against President Benigno Aquino III, Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone said even Colmenares, who endorsed the impeachment rap over Aquino’s outlawed Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), benefited from the DAP.

“Nakatanggap rin si Colmenares sa DAP (Even Colmenares benefited from the DAP),” Evardone said, as he listed his DAP-funded projects.

Colmenares then flared up and insinuated that it is unfair that he would be accused of benefiting from DAP, and that he could not be asked to inhibit from the complaint.

“It is okay for us to go against DAP because we realized it was an illegal program,” he said.

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“Anong kinalaman na isang kongressman may pinondohan din ng DAP? (What has a Congressman who received funds from DAP got to do with it?)” Colmenares added.

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The militant lawmaker then said that former congressman now Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, said to be the brainchild of DAP, and Evardone shifted their allegiance from Arroyo to Aquino.

“Nalaman niyo gaano kasama ang dating presidente, Dapat lang (They realized how corrupt the previous president is. So they should have really shifted allegiance),” Colmenares said.

“Evardone was with President Arroyo before. Did we say balimbing ka (you are a turncoat)? No, we didn’t say balimbing ka,” Colmenares retorted.

The crowd behind Colmenares composed of militant supporters cheered the solon on, while Evardone remained silent.

Committee chair Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. banged on his gavel, called for order, and suspended the hearing after the heated exchange.

Upon the hearing’s resumption, Tupas called on to strike down the exchange from the House records because it is irrelevant in the discussion. The motion was met with no objection.

“It’s irrelevant. It’s not necessary to debate, therefore, unparliamentary. It should be stricken off the record,” Tupas said.

The first two complaints stemmed from Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of which were 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 and 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.

Last Tuesday, the complaints were found sufficient in form based on verification of complainants and endorsement of lawmakers.

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