We have another round of impeachment filed, and this time received in congress against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, today. I have not read the full context of the latest complaint, so mine are based on Media’s precise and concise reports regarding the matter. I don’t see any fresh information other than what people have already heard in the previous complaints, which never made beachhead in congress due to TKOs.
Betrayal of public trust, Plunder, Treason.
I don’t think this Impeachment will work for its petitioners. Not under the circumstances, not for reasons, not at least. Impeachment is by large a political exercise. The political oppositions do not have the mathematical number that they need to win. But that’s no reason because, in theory at least, I believe there are situations that numbers can be override.
Impeachment is also by part a Rule of Law. I am a carpenter so I could not possibly be preempting congress. But I think, legally, the bases are a bit wild and overshoot. And, I am not a lawyer so I am not sure about legal terms, but this must be what they call fishing expedition – casting a net hoping the president is caught in there.
Hypothetical
The following are hypothetical. Let’s take Plunder by GMA herself based on the Fertilizer Scam. Facts are: That there was an amount intended for fertilizer-dole-out to farmers. That the appropriation came at a time for national election. That the appropriations were released to members of congress. That there were diversions of fund because not all of them were actually spent on fertilizer. That there were anomalies like overpricing in procurements of fertilizer.
Now, I don’t think that then Agriculture Usec Jocjoc Bolante, much more PGMA, can be nailed with them. Not a chance by reason unless people come up and swear that they were ordered by PGMA or by Mr Bolante themselves to divert, malverse, or pocket public money, or solid evidences to those effects. Without them everything is mere allegation based on pure presumption and belief. And, all other issues follow similar pattern and circumstances as that of the Fertilizer scam so; I don’t think we need to go into each of them in here, right now.
Culpability under Command Responsibility? Well, that’s another thing. But, is not that another or different information? And, used as basis for impeachment, is not this shooting too far, or putting the cart before the carabao? I mean, legally, why did not anybody get hold of any of those who diverted, malversed or pocketed public money and hear the story from them, first? It’s not grandeur but at least there is something real, solid that could be used for other purposes. Like Culpability by Command responsibility – doing nothing by superiors to abuses [same with incompetence] committed by those below them. Who knows there could be crime by conspiracy, mismo, like when one actually tried to cover up. But then at this point they are all speculations since there is nothing real at hand – something established, for prima facie evidence at least. Ok, maybe people have not heard everything yet from the petitioners.
Sure, Filipinos are no idiots. They know what are real and what are unreal. But we are talking about rule of law and not about spending time forever just in preliminaries or playing dice.
Related posts:
The President is asked to resign
