August 1, 2005 · Posted in: In the News
‘Creeping impeachment’ constitutional,
says lawyer’s group
IN light of the legal standoff on the draft impeachment rules currently being deliberated in the House over the issue of a “creeping impeachment” being initiated by the opposition, a group of lawyers called the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL) has issued a legal memorandum as a guide for the impeachment complainants to resolve the issue.
The bone of contention is whether to allow the plenary to immediately transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate as soon as the endorsement gathers the required 79 signatures, which was the case with the impeachment of Joseph Estrada in 2000.
Last June 28, the amended impeachment complaint was filed with only 42 signatories and was referred to the House committee on justice. Both Rep. Simeon Datumanong, the committee chair, and Rep. Edcel Lagman, the major sponsor of the draft rules, insist that the complaint now stays with the committee and can no longer be transmitted to the Senate. Lagman is also saying that the impeachment proceedings against Estrada was unconstitutional, hence null and void.
CODAL is however of the view that the “creeping impeachment”and, henceforth, the previous acts of Congress in the cases of Estrada and Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., are constitutional and therefore applicable to Arroyo’s own impeachment.
No, Congress did not violate the 1987 Constitution when it applied the ‘speedy resolution principle’ (interpreted as creeping impeachment) in both the Estrada and Davide impeachment cases since the Constitution not only allows but in fact requires that an impeachment complaint that is endorsed-signed by at least one-third (1/3) of the Members of the House be immediately transmitted and endorsed to the Senate.
CODAL argues that the Constitution allows and in fact requires, that should one-third of the House membership sign the complaint as complainant or endorsers, the complaint shall be transmitted to the Senate for speedy disposition of the complaint, on the following grounds:
- The spirit and intent of the Constitution is to provide all the opportunity for the speedy disposition of the Impeachment Complaint.
- The text of the Constitution does not prohibit the transmittal to the Senate upon endorsement of one-third (1/3) of the Members of the House subsequent to the filing of the Complaint.
It is also useless, notes CODAL, for the Justice Committee to continue probable-cause hearings once the one-third (1/3) majority endorsement is achieved, since as a matter of principle, the 79 endorsers constitute the House Prosecution Panel — and no one else other than the endorsers. By endorsing the Complaint, the 79 endorsers/complainants are deemed to have established probable cause.
- The above interpretation is supported by practice and precedence.
Read the full text of the legal memo here.
13 Responses to ‘Creeping impeachment’ constitutional,
says lawyer’s group
DIMITRI
August 2nd, 2005 at 4:07 pm
KUMPORME AKO SA IMPEACHMENT. SANA NAMAN WAG NANG GUMAWA NG EKSENA ANG MAJORITY WAG SANANG MANAIG ANG TYRANNY OF NUMBERS. PARA MATAPOS NA ANG KRISIS, PARA MAGBALIK NATAYO SA NORMAL (KUNG PWEDI PA)…
koj
August 3rd, 2005 at 3:40 am
damned if you do and damned if you don’t…if it would reach an impeachment and majority decides otherwise, opposition would say tyranny of numbers and admin says ‘sweet justice’…pag kabila naman verdict, opps would say ‘justice served’ and admin says injustice….wag na tayo umasa, lose-lose situation lahat….
but i agree that creeping impeachment should be allowed.
mindanao
August 3rd, 2005 at 4:06 am
The “Will of the People to know the Truth” is the most priority of all, seconded to the Constitution and third to the will of the Politicians.
Lets put behind the argument on technicality, what we are asking is the Truth?
mindanao
August 3rd, 2005 at 4:09 am
To our Congressmens…
We your People ask for the TRUTH !!!!!
Pls. dont answer us Constitutions….
Pls. dont answer us Numbers….
Pls. dont answer us Surveys….
Pls. dont answer us Legalities….
PopsJ
August 3rd, 2005 at 1:50 pm
Tanong ko lang para sa mga Metro Manila bloggers:
1. Bakit kaya ang mga kongressman ng inyong lugar ay hindi pumirma sa Impeachment complaint?
2. Kung tunay na lumalabas sa survey (SWS, Pulse) na 70% wants GMA impeached, bakit hindi yata naririning ng inyong mga ibinoto sa Kongreso ang inyong kahilingan?
3. Sabi ng karamihan sa Kongreso, ang kanilang constituency ang pakikinggan. Parang hindi nila kayo naririnig. Ano ang dahilan? Nagbibingihan? or Nagiintay ng kabayaran?
4. Hahayaan ng lang ba ninyo na ganito ang mga pangyayari?
Ako ay taga Pasig, sumulat na ako kay Dudot Jaworksi. Kayo, ano pa ang hinihintay ninyo? Dati taga Makati ako. Buti na lang ang hindi ko ibinotong congressman, si Butz Aquino, pro-impeachment. Muntik ng sumigaw ‘Ibalik ako sa Makati!!’.
Per record, lima lang ang pro-impeachment Metro Manila congressmen.
1. Biazon, Rozzano Rufino Bunoan ng Muntinlupa City
2. Aquino, Agapito Aguino ng Makati City
3. Zamora, Ronaldo Bayan ng San Juan
4. Golez, Roilo Solis ng Paranaque City
5. Cayetano, Allan Peter ng Pateros-Taguig.
PCIJ, pwede bang ipublish ang address ng mga Kongresista?
fencesitter
August 3rd, 2005 at 2:23 pm
may punto ka , Pops. Kung ang maga constituents na mismo ang ayaw sa presidente walang dahilan ang mga congressman para sabihin na gusto parin nila ang presidente. They must represent the people’s will under their respective district. Kaya nga sila tinewag na representative precisely for that. It is really very tempting to think that those congressmen who stick to GMA are doing that for something else.
Alecks Pabico
August 3rd, 2005 at 6:50 pm
PopsJ,
You may try our other site, i-site.ph for the contact information of the members of the 13th House. But what we have are just their addresses taken from their filed statements of assets and liabilities. The site of the House of Representatives has their office addresses and phone numbers. You can also send a message via the site’s web form, which is available for each representative.
silverrado
August 4th, 2005 at 6:38 am
How I wish she will be impeached. However, it will be rock, shout and twist show.
The loser will be us.
Garci is gone and for sure they will feast on Zuce like a toy.
exacto
August 4th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Eh paano naman ako? Ayaw ko ng impeachment pero tongressman ko nangunguna sa pag-insulto sa pangulo? Ang dami namin dito pero hayun si Cayetano, sarili lang niya iniintindi! Meron bang representative na ganyan. Kahit di namin siya binoto, representative pa rin siya ng lugar namin. Pero panay ang diskarte, wala namang kinokonsulta sa amin. Tandaan mo yan, kita tayo sa 2007!
koj
August 4th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
he he, ‘exacto’ you must be from taguig area…i believe it’s the same cayetano who’s trying to ‘recall’ the mayor but failed. riding to late dad’s popularity…wonder how many bills he passed…
indio_lawless
August 4th, 2005 at 2:50 pm
Exacto, here is the e-mail addy of Rep.Allan Peter Cayetano : alancayetano @yahoo.com. Or better call his office at (02) 9315408 to schedule an appointment with him to discuss your concerns regarding your anti-impeachment views. I’m sure he will be more than willing to hear whatever arguments you have.
But don’t forget to give us, PCIJ Bloggers, a feedback
PopsJ
August 4th, 2005 at 4:16 pm
Thanks a lot Alecks, I called up Dodot’s office. Was able to talk to his secretary and express my sentiment. I wish other bloggers can call their congressmen too. Again ang site, http://www.congress.gov.ph. Enjoy surfing. Let them hear us!!
Exacto, I do not agree that Rep. Allan Cayetano ay nangunguna sa pag-insulto sa pangulo ng walang basehan. Tangap na na ayaw mo ng impeachment. Nagtataka lang ako bakit. Hindi pa ba sapat na si GMA mismo ang nagsabi na haharapin niya ang impeachment case niya basta ihain ayon sa Rule of Law, e.g impeachment case? Sabi nga ni Allan kung mapatunayan sa Senado na mali o hindi tutoo ang akusasyon, we can proceed forward and move on. Paabutin muna sa Senado. Huwag pigilin. Ang apatnaput dalawang congressman/women ba ay puro nangiinsulto lang? Siguro kong may respeto pa ang presidente, dapat nga magreklamo siya. Sa aking pananaw, NANDAYA, NAGSINUNGALING at NAGNAKAW si GMA! Hindi na siya nararapat sa aking respeto hanggat hindi napapatunayan sa Senado na wala siyang pagkakasala!
Inday_D_Mighty
August 7th, 2005 at 7:39 pm
kahit ano pa ang gawin ng buong pinas at ng mga oppositionists…gma is here to stay. hindi yan bababa. kahit siguro gusto na niyang bumaba dahil pagod na siya, eh, anong magagawa niya kung ayaw pa ni mike? heheehhe….sabi siguro ni mike, “diyan ka lang darleng…marami pa akong perang nanakawin”. at isa pa, ayaw ng mga alipores ni ate glo na umalis siya. from her cabinet, to the politicians who favor her down to the military. ang lakas ni gma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!