Alan loses first round
What do you expect from the Malaca?ang-controlled House of Representatives? The Daily Tribune’s report on the harrassment of Mike Arroyo of Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano:
By Dona Policar
Where before, in at least two impeachment bids against President Arroyo,Wholesale replica handbags, administration congressmen quickly dismissed these complaints on technicalities and saying they were lacking in form and substance, the presidential allies in the House of Representatives yesterday found the complaint of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, his congressman-brother, Ignacio and two sons, Rep. Juan Miguel and Diosdado, who is also gunning for a congres-sional seat, meeting the requirements of form and substance, paving the way for the investigation against Deputy Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano that would lead to his expulsion from the House.
Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros) yesterday lost the first round of the many battles raised against him by the very influential figure from Malaca?ang, the presidential spouse, as the allies of Mr. Arroyo went all out to lay the groundwork for their colleagues’ expulsion, with their instant cognizant of the complaint filed by the First Gentleman against Cayetano before the House ethics committee yesterday.
The committee through a vote of 33 against 10 validated the two complaints as being sufficient in form and substance, which would eventually warrant a full-blown investigation and hearing.
The committee chaired by Rep. Roberto Cajes (Bohol) has accepted the two complaints filed separately by the First Gentleman, Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (Negros Occidental), son Juan Miguel (Pampanga); and the First Gentleman’s youngest son, Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo against Cayetano.
The Arroyos are seeking the expulsion of Cayetano, whom they have accused of improper
conduct.
The first complaint was filed on Sept. 6 while the complaint filed by First Gentleman’s youngest son was filed on Oct. 12.
Prior to the determination of the complaint’s validity, the committee at the same time junked efforts of the members of the minority to question the jurisdiction of the committee over the cases filed against Cayetano.
The members of the minority questioned the jurisdiction over the complaints filed against Cayetano given the fact that there is a pending case against the opposition congressman filed in a regional trial court.
Prior to the filing of the complaints against Cayetano before the committee, the First Gentleman had already filed a P30 million libel case against the Pateros-Taguig legislator.
The complaints filed, according to house minority leader Francis Escudero, were actually a verbatim reproduction of the complaints filed before the prosecutor’s office.
Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez believes the committee is barred from entertaining any complaint against any member of the House of Representatives unless the jurisdictional requirement has been complied with.
This was echoed by partylist Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales. She said that before the committee tackles any particular case, “we have to know if we have the jurisdiction over this.” stressing that “we have to determine the jurisdiction first and once we determine it, then we can determine if the compliance (as to form and substance) has been met.”
This was rejected by the administration committee members.
Ironically, this was the argument used by the administration house allies to quash the pro-impeachment group’s position that the evidence by way of the election documents should be presented. The allies then said the Justice committee was not the proper forum for this, as jurisdiction was with the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.
Upon the opposition’s objection on jurisdictional basis,Omega Watches, administration congressmen Harlin Abayon (Northern Samar) and Baguio Rep. Mauricio Domogan invoked Section 17 of the rules that the committee should take immediate action of the complaint filed, and determination of jurisdiction should only follow.
“We can raise at all times the issue of jurisdiction but only after the question of validity is settled,” they said.
The chairman ruled that section 17 takes precedence over section 2, to which, minority members Gilbert Remulla (Cavite) and Joel Villanueva (partylist Cibac) appealed for reconsideration.
The appeal, however, was junked through a vote of 31 against 9.
The complaints filed against the opposition congressman were triggered by Cayetano’s claims that the presidential family has kept secret dollar bank accounts with Hypo Vereinsbank in Germany.
Mr. Arroyo went to Munich Germany and secured a negative certification from the bank,Mulberry Handbags, to the effect stating that the presidential husband has no account in that specific number mentioned.
It was however noted that the account number in the certification had one too many number seven. Also, reports were clear that the alleged bank account was not in the name of the First Gentleman but allegedly in the name of his son, Juan Miguel.
Another administration congressman, Luis Villafuerte (Camarines Sur) suggested that Cayetano should not resist the decision reached by the committee and instead asked him to file his comment in a period of 10 days.
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