EDITORIAL ‘Impeach Me!’ SECTION 1, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution states that a “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.” As our country’s leaders find themselves in a mess over the pork barrel scandal and at the brink of conducting this constitutional process, the words of the Constitution echo loud and clear. Installed as a necessary safeguard to ensure the moral uprightness of our country’s leaders, the first Philippine President subjected to this process was former President, now Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada. The impeachment proceeding against Estrada, however, did not reach its conclusion but he found himself out of Malacañang by virtue of a “popular revolt”. And then there was Renato Corona who, by virtue of a landslide vote, lost his job as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The impeachment process against Corona reached conclusion, but the results of the proceedings against him is presently under question—as lawmakers who voted for his ouster were found to have received extra pork for after their participation in the proceedings. Now comes President Benigno Aquino III issuing his dare: “Impeach Me!” which could be interpreted in any of two ways. If you are pro-PNoy, his statement rings with supreme confidence—that he has served his office with utmost integrity and responsibility. He is unimpeachable. For the anti-PNoy, his dare reeks of something sinister. He is untouchable because he’s got Congress in the palm of his hands. Any Juan dela Cruz can file an impeachment case the President (Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman) but the impeachment process always begins at the House of Representatives which enjoys the exclusive power to initiate the said proceedings. But even if impeachment proceedings against PNoy do take off, everything comes down to a vote. And, by experience, we all know that votes in this country can be easily rigged. But then, there is always impeachment by revolt. #OpinYon #Editorial
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 07:20:28 +0000
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