Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes. 黑料社 FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The numbers game may not favor the complainants in the impeachment rap against President听Benigno听Aquino III within the halls of the House of Representatives, so they are keen on trying their luck in various communities.
Bagong听Alyansang听Makabayan听(Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes on Monday said the battle for the complaint to prosper is in the communities and not in the lower Congress, long dominated by presidential allies.
鈥淎ng听aming听plano,听iikot听kami听sa听iba-ibang听komunidad,听kakausapin听ang听mga听mamamayan听(Our plan is to go around the communities and talk to the people),鈥� Reyes, one of the petitioners, said.
鈥淎ng听tagumpay听ng impeachment ay听hindi听sa听bilang听ng听mga听kongresista.听Nakasalalay听ito听sa听taumbayan听(The victory of the impeachment is not in the numbers of the congressmen. It is in the people),鈥� he added.
Members of the majority bloc, led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, have long said the complaint will not prosper in the chamber.
Reyes thus urged congressmen to veer away from the influence of听Malaca帽ang听and consider the impeachment complaint.
鈥淎ng听hamon听sa听mambabatas:听Pagkakataon听na听para听ituwid听ang听nagawang听pang-aagaw听ng听kapangyarihan.听Huwag听naman听sila听laging听paggamit听sa听Malaca帽ang听(Our challenge to lawmakers is: It is time to correct the President鈥檚 usurping of power. Congress should not always be听Malaca帽ang鈥檚听lapdog),鈥� he added.
More impeachment complaints will be filed by groups to be endorsed by other militant representatives, such as听Kabataan听party-list Rep. Terry听Ridon听and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio听Tinio.
According to the complaint, Aquino should be impeached for 鈥渧iolating the Constitution by usurping Congress鈥� power of the purse, 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听malversation听and corruption of public officials.鈥�
They said Aquino should be impeached for his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a savings-impounding mechanism, parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Funds from DAP were also said to be given as incentives to senators who voted to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
The complaint was endorsed by Bayan听Muna听representatives听Neri听Colmenares听and Carlos Zarate, and听Anakpawis听Representative Fernando听Hicap.
There are 28 petitioners in the complaint. They are: Reyes; Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) President Ferdinand听Gaite; Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) President Dante Jimenez; Citizens Crime Watch President Atty. Jose听Malvar听Villegas; Retired archbishop Oscar Cruz; United Church of Christ in the Philippines Bishop听Emergencio听Padillo;听Iglesia听Filipina听Independentia听Bishop听Joselito听Cruz.
Former Gabriela Rep. Liza听Maza; University of the Philippines professor Judy听Taguiwalo; musician Monet Silvestre; Church People鈥檚 Alliance Against Pork Barrel听convenor听Father Benjamin听Alforque; Marie Sol听Villalon听of the Promotion for Church People鈥檚 Response; Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines president Sandra Cam;听Kilusang听Magbubukid听ng听Pilipinas听chair Rafael Mariano;听Kilusang听Mayo Uno chair Elmer听Labog;听Migrante听International chair Gerry Martinez; UP professor听Danilo听Arao; RX Pork听convenor听Robert Mendoza
Scrap Pork Network leaders Mae听Paner听(also known as Juana Change),听Inday听Varona, Noemi听Lardizabal-Dado, and Deng听Silorio;听Alerto听Mamimili听convenor听Lolita Donato;听Kalipunan听ng听Damayang听Mahihirap听(Kadamay) chair Gloria Arellano; Maria Aurora Santiago; Joan Mae Salvador of Gabriela;听Anakbayan听chair听Vencer听Crisostomo; and Concepcion听Empeno, mother of missing UP activist Karen听Empe帽o.
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