Press Release
August 15, 2006

CONGRESSMEN ADVISED TO LISTEN TO IMPEACHMENT
COMPLAINT AND NOT SUPPRESS EVIDENCE

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said the administration congressmen would be no better than the members of the rubberstamp parliament during the Marcos dictatorial rule if they would junk the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo without allowing the proponents to present their witnesses and documentary evidence.

Pimentel bewailed that the House leaders subservience to Malacañang has gone too far, with their dubious plan to kill the impeachment complaint within six session days by declaring it insufficiency of evidence.

The House is acting like the Batasang Pambansa during the martial law regime. The Batasan dismissed the impeachment complaint against then President Ferdinand Marcos without giving the complainants the chance to prove their charges, he said.

Pimentel criticized House leaders for prejudging the impeachment case against Mrs. Arroyo by trying to make it appear as consisting of rehashed and recycled charges.

Mindlessly, the House would now act like its martial law forbear. Its a sad day for democracy if serious charges of corruption and abuse of power against the President contained in the impeachment complaint are not even given due hearing. But what can you expect from people who cannot see beyond their noses? he said.

The congressmen were also advised by Pimentel to act independently and impartially in determining whether there are legal and factual grounds for the impeachment complaint instead of allowing themselves to be reduced to being automatons of the Palace.

The minority leader warned that, if the administration congressmen would refuse to listen to the complaints, this would only inflame political restiveness as the people would tend to believe that the system of justice in the country is not working anymore.

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