Saguisag mulling impeach case vs GMA

Former Sen. Rene Saguisag said yesterday he would look into the possibility of filing impeachment and court martial complaints against President Arroyo and five senior police and military officials.

"All right, we will look into the possibility of preparing impeachment and court-martial articles," Saguisag said in a letter to Executive Secretary Renato de Villa.

Saguisag issued the statement after De Villa mocked Saguisag’s appeal to start an investigation on Mrs. Arroyo, Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes and five senior officers for allegedly plotting to overthrow former President Joseph Estrada.

If Saguisag would indeed file impeachment complaints, he would have to go through the justice committee of the House of Representatives.

But his complaint will not be entertained, even by Estrada supporters, because no impeachment complaint can be legally filed within one year after a similar complaint.

Shortly after the articles of impeachment were filed against Estrada last Nov. 13, Surago del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay also filed an impeachment complaint against then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but the complaint was dismissed by the House justice committee which was then headed by an Estrada ally.

Courts-martial, on the other hand, are formed by the AFP Inspector General on the order of the AFP high command.

Aside from Mrs. Arroyo and Reyes, Saguisag said Marine Lt. Gen. Edgardo Espinosa, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) chief Director Hermogenes Ebdane and Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya were also in on the plot.

"It will prosper only in the minds of those who cannot accept stability," De Villa said, urging Saguisag to file charges so that there will be a basis for official action.

Reyes also appeared amused by Saguisag’s proposal and said he would welcome any court martial.

"I would welcome any court martial... They should hurry it up," Reyes had said.

Mendoza also dismissed Saguisag’s allegations and said, if history would repeat itself, he would do what he did on Jan. 19 when he and other senior police officials withdrew support from the Estrada regime.

"We are from the people. We must be with the people. We will always be for the people," Mendoza said at yesterday’s flag-raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo.

"We have been saying all along that EDSA does not stand in the way between Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. On the contrary, EDSA is the point of convergence for both camps, for both soldiers and policemen, to serve the people and protect their power. At all times, without fear. Under all conditions, without favor," Mendoza said. Except for Espinosa and Berroya, all of the people Saguisag accused in the supposed plot have dismissed his allegations.

In his letter to De Villa, Saguisag lamented what he called "official reticence to investigate those in power."

At the same time, he asked De Villa for copies of the statements of assets and liabilities of Mrs. Arroyo and her Cabinet.

"Her personal deadline was last Monday, February 19, 2001. These should be published as part of the new order or norm of transparency in official conduct," Saguisag wrote.

He also hinted that he would later ask for documents attesting that Mrs. Arroyo and her Cabinet have divested themselves of corporate holdings as required by law.

"At the same time, please advise her (Mrs. Arroyo) that it is very bad form to have her husband continue to practice his law profession," Saguisag wrote.

Saguisag said the income from such a practice would be conjugal and contrary to the Constitution.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo had earlier said he would help pro bono, or for free, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to pursue cases of victims of injustice.