Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揟ension rose in the House of Representatives as allies of President听Benigno听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鈥檚 hearing of the justice committee, chair Iloilo Rep.听Niel听Tupas听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听said this is for the interest of 鈥渓iberality.鈥�
But allies of the president immediately objected. Among them are Marikina Representative听Miro听Quimbo, Eastern Samar Representative Ben听Evardone, and Deputy Speaker Sergio Apostol.
As the allies raised their hands to object, an irate听Tupas听shouted 鈥減oint of order鈥� and called for a break.
After the break, the committee moved to find the rap sufficient in form as amended.
But Bayan听Muna听Representative听Neri听Colmenares听maintained that a technical error is not enough to find that the complaint is insufficient in form.
The first two complaints were about Aquino鈥檚 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听Muna听Representatives听Colmenares听and Carlos Zarate,听Anakpawis听Representative Fernando听Hicap,听Kabataan听Representative Terry听Ridon, Act Teachers Representative Antonio听Tinio听aand听Gabriela Representative听Emmi听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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