Another impeachment vs Arroyo unlikely — opposition

WITH the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) having the most number of seats in the House of Representatives, it is now most unlikely that a third impeachment case against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would prosper, opposition leaders say.

Lakas-CMD reported yesterday that it has so far won 198 seats in the Lower House. Lakas won 92 seats and its biggest coalition partners Kampi and the National People’s Coalition won 48 and 30 seats, respectively. Its allied parties also got a significant number of seats — Liberal Party-Atienza wing, 21; the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, four; and the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas, three.

There are 15 more congressional districts up for grabs and Lakas-CMD said it could end up getting 218 seats. In the 13th House, the administration coalition had 192 seats.

Among the winners are two of Arroyo’s sons, Pampanga (2nd district) Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo and Camarines Sur (1st district) Rep. Diosdado Arroyo. House Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles also won in Davao City (1st district), as well as House Deputy Majority leader Antonio Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur (2nd district).

See the entire list of winners.

On Tuesday, Liberal Party president and Senator Franklin Drilon already conceded that any attempt to impeach Arroyo “may again fall short.” Drilon was one of those who called for the resignation of Arroyo in 2005, at the height of the “Hello, Garci” controversy.

Genuine Opposition leaders also earlier admitted that it lacked candidates who could push for another impeachment case.

In 2005, 158 congressmen voted to junk the impeachment case in the Lower House. In 2006, 173 congressmen moved for its dismissal. (See related posts here and here.)

“There will be a unified Congress under the leadership of Speaker (Jose) De Venecia,” Kampi said in a statement.

The victory of the majority party also assures de Venecia of his fifth term as House Speaker. Ray Roquero, national executive director of Lakas, also said that the victory is an “overwhelming endorsement of the Arroyo administration and its economic program.”

Speaking before the Chinese-Filipino business community, Arroyo last Wednesday urged businessmen to use their clout to persuade the incoming opposition House members to “work wih the administration in passing vital policy and economic measures.” She also called on every party involved in the midterm elections to accept the results and “to unite for the future of this country.”

Drilon however said that allegations of cheating in the recently held elections “could still hurt” the administration. “Unsolved charges of poll fraud would only exacerbate the long-lingering legitimacy crisis facing this government,” he said in a report.