LUTONG MAKAW House justice committee votes down impeachment raps vs PNoy MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE - 1:23 p.m.) The House justice committee on Tuesday all but buried the three impeachment complaints against President Benigno Aquino III, voting these insufficient in substance. Although the complaints will still go to plenary through a committee report, where a one-third vote or 97 votes of the 290-member chamber could yet see these go to the Senate for trial, traditionally it is at the committee level where cases are killed. All three complaints were deemed insufficient in substance by votes of 54-4. The results were not totally unexpected since the membership of the justice committee, like the House, is overwhelmingly pro-administration and, even before the complaints were filed, Aquinos allies were already saying none of the complaints would prosper. Immediately after the votes were cast, Einstein Recedes, chairman of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, shouted, Shame on you, and was promptly arrested by House security. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. called the debates a contest of Who best defended the President? among administration allies and said, The people must continue to seek accountability elsewhere. The first complaint cites Aquino for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for authorizing the discredited Disbursement Acceleration Program. It was filed on July 21 by 28 individuals led by leaders of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and endorsed by four lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc: Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna, Fernando Hicap of Anakpawis, and Luz Ilagan of Gabriela. The second complaint was filed by youth groups led by the Kabataan party-list on July 22 and accuses Aquino of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption over the DAP. It was endorsed by Kabataan Representative Terry Ridon. The third complaint accuses Aquino of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for agreeing to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States, and was filed on July 24. It is endorsed by Representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers and Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela. interaksyon/article/94531/house-justice-committee-votes-down-impeachment-raps-
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 05:46:15 +0000
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