A quorum had been established when 212 out of 284 House of Representative members shown up during a House plenary vote in connection to the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez Monday.
Due to the intervention of some concerned groups such as the Iglesia Ni Cristo, possibilities rise that congressmen will miss to attend the plenary session which put everything into pressure. Amidst such doubts, they were able to achieve a 75 percent quorum.
Niel Tupas Jr. and Lorenzo Tanada III who are both representatives from Iloilo took several hours to complete the confirmation of 80-strong members of the House Liberal Party to attend the impeachment vote.
Since the vote was taken from the stand of the majority, actions regarding the impeachment of Ombudsman Gutierrez will be pushed through.
Edcel Lagman, the House Minority Leader took an action to setback the impeachment vote by raising the issue regarding a text message sent over the weekend which allegedly says “no impeachment, no pork” that threatened both the members of the LP and non-LP.
Such text message became a threat that if the members fail to attend the plenary voting or vote in opposition to Gutierrez impeachment case, they would get a zero pork barrel.
It was Saturday when Cavite Rep. Joseph E.A. Abaya sent the message saying, “Favor kindly disseminate to all reps – LP and non-LPs. This shud b made clear to all. Those who will vote no or absent/abstain on impeachment will get 0 as in zero. At least walang sisihan that there was no forewarning. Thank you.”
Abaya made a denial regarding such communication. However, Lagman mentioned in his privilege speech to insist an investigation for it had threatened their entire membership.
Lagman said in a statement saying, “The ominous text was sent purposely to deliver a coercive message. It has boomeranged. Our integrity and independence have been impeached even before we could even act on the impeachment of the Ombudsman.’’ But, the members of the House didn’t take his request.
It was not only Lagman who attempted to delay the voting. Representative of Nueva Ecija Rodolfo Antonino along with Zambales Representative Milagros Magsaysay have also took their turn to complain about the issue that they haven’t get a hold of a impeachment articles copy that were supposedly disseminated last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, after Tupas had began his sponsorship speech, the ex-president and now the present Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo immediately left.
Ombudsman Gutierrez, being one of the closest allies during Arroyo’s regime, will face an impeachment trial because she failed to act on the corruption cases against the ex-president’s husband.