Arroyo faces fresh impeachment charge
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-06-26 14:07
Political opponents of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo filed a
new impeachment complaint on Monday, attempting to unseat her on allegations of
corruption and human rights abuses.
Political opponents of
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo display a banner after opposition
lawmakers filed a new impeachment complaint at the secretary-general's
office of the House of Representatives in Quezon city, suburban Manila
June 26, 2006, attempting to unseat the president on allegations of
corruption and human right abuses.
[Reuters] |
Arroyo survived an impeachment attempt last year and analysts expect the
latest charge to fail due to insufficient support in the lower house of
Congress, where her allies hold a majority.
Several anti-Arroyo groups, many dressed in peach-coloured shirts, filed the
fresh complaint to the House of Representatives after holding an overnight vigil
outside the Congress building.
The president is currently in Italy on an official visit and will return to
the Philippines on Sunday after travelling to the Vatican and Spain.
"I think she should tell the truth," said Corazon Soliman, a former member of
Arroyo's cabinet who quit in July and called on her to resign over alleged
vote-rigging in the May 2004 election.
"She should come out. Not foil the impeachment. She wants her day in court.
So she must face this impeachment court. And tell the truth to the people."
Arroyo has not been able to shake accusations she stole the 2004 vote and
that some of her family members benefited from illegal gambling, an allegation
that toppled former President Joseph Estrada in 2001.
But the political temperature has cooled since February when the government
said it had uncovered an alleged coup plot by renegade soldiers, communist
rebels and political foes, triggering a week of emergency rule.
Anti-Arroyo groups need 79 votes from the 235-member House of Representatives
to impeach the president. Last year, only 51 lawmakers voted to impeach Arroyo,
who has denied the corruption allegations.
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