‘Failed impeach bid a victory for RP economy’

Malacañang considers the junking of the second impeachment complaint against President Arroyo a "victory" of sorts for the economy and will finally allow the nation to focus and address important concerns.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye issued the statement as the House of Representatives is expected to begin plenary debates tomorrow on the justice panel’s report dismissing the impeachment complaint last week.

At the same time, the 1,500-strong League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) appealed to the political opposition to accept "defeat" and stop turning the impeachment process into a media show for self promotion so that the country can now move forward.

The pro-Charter change group said the people "are sick and tired of the opposition’s media ranting."

Bunye earlier predicted that the impeachment bid would be given its final death blow when the entire chamber votes on it.

"The failure of the impeachment attempt is a victory for our economy and a focus on moving the nation forward," Bunye said. "It once again put in stark relief the divide that exists between President Arroyo’s vision for getting things done, and that of the opposition to shut down progress."

Bunye said the people are "sick and tired of the political soap opera" for a very simple reason: they want Congress to focus on policy, not politics.

He said Congress has to yet to approve the proposed P46 billion supplemental budget and the Anti-Terrorism Bill "that are both languishing" in the Senate.

"We have a host of pressing national issues on education, environment and the economy that they should be spending their time on," he said.

The LMP led by Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico, is one of several local government leagues under the banner of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) that supports amending the Charter.

"Millions of our constituencies nationwide are sick and tired of the opposition’s media ranting. Are they so bankrupt of ideas that they have to resort to impeachment every year?" Guico said.

Instead of politicking, he advised the opposition to accept the Justice Committee’s "verdict" and concentrate on urgent reform legislation pending in Congress.

Last week, Speaker Jose de Venecia underscored the importance of putting the impeachment episode behind and start tackling priority legislation like the approval of the P46-billion supplemental budget for 2006 and a resolution calling for a constituent assembly of Congress to amend the 1987 Constitution.