Philippine congress dismisses Arroyo impeachment charges

Philippine legislators, groggy from a marathon debate session, today threw out all three impeachment charges against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo - despite warnings the move could worsen her political crisis and spark a new “people power” revolt.

The 236-seat House of Representatives – overwhelmingly dominated by pro-Arroyo legislators – voted to uphold the House justice committee’s decision to reject the complaints alleging Arroyo rigged last year’s election, was involved in corruption and condoned human rights violations.

The nationally-televised session dragged on for about 23 hours – one of the longest ever – and was marked by intense debate and impassioned pleas from opposition politicians for justice and fairness.

Arroyo, who closely followed the debate all night, was ecstatic and thanked Filipinos for not supporting calls to oust her by force.

“The Filipino people mark a glorious day in history, when instead of forcing a president out of office through ‘people power,’ they chose to keep a president through voting in the halls of constitutional democracy,” she said in a statement.

“The opposition put up a good fight and I now offer my hand in reconciliation for the national interest,” she said.

Although a victory for Arroyo, the decision could prolong the debilitating crisis that has gripped her poor south-east Asian nation since June and tainted the image of the US-trained economist who has tried to revive the flagging economy during four-and-a-half years in office.

Anti-Arroyo politicians stood, then shook hands and embraced each other, one wiping away tears.

“I’m distressed we will end up this way by killing the one impeachment complaint that contains a truly substantial case and its evidence, killing a complaint that the president should answer and the public wants her to answer,” said opposition Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, the lead impeachment lawyer.

Politicians, many in the same clothes from the start of the session yesterday, were drooping, their eyes sunken. Some went to their offices, apparently to nap, leaving many seats empty by Tuesday morning.

“All of us are mentally and physically exhausted,” pro-Arroyo Rep. Prospero Pichay said.

The vote-rigging accusations against Arroyo emerged in June, based on illegal wiretaps in which she purportedly discussed with an elections commissioner how to ensure a million-vote victory in the closely-fought May 2004 election.

Arroyo apologised for a “lapse in judgment” for talking with an elections official before the poll results were announced, but said she did not influence the count.

Arroyo’s opponents say the impeachment process was the last legal avenue to press her to answer to the charges and close the crisis.

Even moderates have warned that suppressing the complaints could spark another “people power” revolt like those that ousted two presidents in the past two decades – or inspire the ever-restive military to intervene.

“This is the last chance for us to pave the rule of law and the constitutional process,” opposition spokesman Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano said before the debate began. “We’re saying we can’t stop the people.”

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye slammed such warnings.

“For as long as the congressional process is free, fair and transparent, people are expected to abide by the results,” he said. “To threaten our people with doomsday scenarios is an insult to our people and their political maturity.”