The Puzzle Fits

Posted by Alecks Pabico 
PCIJ

BELOW is the statement of the Legal Team (Amended Impeachment Complaint) headed by U.P. College of Law Prof. H. Harry Roque Jr. on the recent revelation made by former social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman on the circumstances surrounding the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano and endorsed by Alagad party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

The Puzzle Fits

The revelation by former DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman on how the Marcoleta-endorsed Lozano complaint came about  illustrates yet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's propensity to trivialize constitutional processes such as the impeachment.

It appears that from the very onset, Malacañang has had a master plan to defeat all constitutional means by which to hold the President liable for her acts of cheating, lying and stealing.

It also explains the political play that we have been witnessing in Congress since hearings on the impeachment complaints commenced in the House: by causing the endorsement of the Lozano complaint that was patently insufficient in form and substance, the President would be assured of yet another impeachment free year in office given the one impeachment proceeding per year rule.

No wonder the pro-GMA legislators will almost certainly insist that the House Justice Committee should hear only the original Lozano complaint.

But despite Malacañang's grand design, they apparently did not foresee even the possibility of the filing of  the  Amended Complaint which would detail the Presidents acts of cheating, lying and stealing.

While a second complaint may have been within their contemplation, an amended one, which in legal parlance would supersede the first complaint, was not. And certainly, they did not foresee that no less than insiders, the Hyatt 10 today, will bear testimony as to how the President clearly committed yet another instance of obstruction of justice. Clearly, while the Palace was not wanting in planning and conspiracies, they did not succeed in its grand plan to conceal the truth.

The legal team of the amended impeachment complaint now calls on both the members of the House of Representatives and the general public not to allow the President to succeed in her obvious design to make a mockery of processes enshrined in the fundamental law of the land, if only to retain her stranglehold on power.

We call on the members of Congress not to contribute further to the emasculation of Congress as a democratic institution and transmit forthwith the Amended Complaint to the Senate so that the truth may finally be known.  To the sovereign people, we ask you to let your Representatives know that their participation in this conspiracy to corrupt constitutional processes will certainly meet not only your ire, but also a guilty verdict from history.