Live Coverage of a slow death

• Roll Call starts at 1pm. Somebody OBJECTS to the roll call, a perfect start for miron's slow death coverage.
• Ricky Carandang kills time by giving great backgrounder and describing clothes of congressmen. Karmina... well, Karmina kills time by just being Karmina
• Miron kills time by looking at other blogs. Looks like the opposition has issued its warning -- kill this and you will see a walk out, more street protests, mass movements of Erap second envelop proportions. Bunch of cry babies. Just get to work already.
• Hearing resumes at 1:10pm. "We have to resolve the issue of whether or not to go with the first second or third complaint..."  of course congressman takes forever to belabor this point.
• Congressman Paras butts in with "This is really not important..." sheez. "in paragraph 16, we're not talking about 6 horses but 3 horses." HORSES? WHAT HORSES?!!!
• Butz Aquino refers committee to full page ad "Trial by Error" in PDI, says they have to decide with national stability in mind, rise above party affiliations, blahblahblah. Butz we should boot you out. I wish this were Big Brother where we can give congress stuff we want them to do then kick out underperformers and overacters.
• Teddboy: "Congress time does not run on people's time..." You got that right. Teddyboy puts something on the table. Recommends they consolidate Lozano complaint with minority complaint as bill of particulars. "Minority complaint comes from one of us in the house and should be granted fair consideration." 
• Abalos: "Everybody is quoting Bernas..." then proceeds to quote Bernas some more. "Kung meron ng pangalawang beripikadong reklamo, eto ay di na pwedeng tanggapin..."
• Dumpit: "We should admire the president for allowing herself to be subjected to the process. We are duty bound to make this sure this process is observed. However this process is bound by rules! (elaborates on rules) I strongly believe we should consider the Lozano complaint first without prejudice to the other complaints." Spoken like a true politician.
• Motion to resolve prejudicial questions by putting matter to a vote.
• Voted down by Chiz.
• SUSPENDED for one minute giving Karmina no time to kill time. Karen Bayhon replaces her when hearing resumes. And not a moment too soon.
• VOTING IN FAVOR OF MOTION. CONGRESSMEN IN FAVOR: 54
• THOSE AGAINST: 24
• ABSTAIN: 2
• SUSPENDED FOR 5 MINUTES. Opposition passing around peach roses. If those things have no thorns, I can assure them those won't hurt the majority
• Ricky Carandang: This is the first defeat for the opposition. What's interesting? Fencesitters forced to reveal what side they are on. Andaya is a yes. Lopez is a yes. Minority uncertain on what steps to take at this point. They don't seem to be taking steps towards the exit. Nope. A lot of milling about. No walkout in sight.
• Allan Cayetano spins and tries to hypnotize us: administration wants to shorten this process and kill it. Brings up Gloria low trust ratings. Impeachment is her chance to be judged by public. Says that Bernas says one proceeding tackling all 3 complaints not barred by the constitution. I am getting hypnotized...

Here is the much quoted column of Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J

Having seen the broad meaning of "betrayal of public trust," we next look at what the Constitution prohibits. It prohibits the initiation of more than one "impeachment proceeding." It does not necessarily prohibit more than one complaint. More than one complaint would be prohibited only if the multiple complaints would require more than "one proceeding." But if they can be logically and conveniently combined into one proceeding, there would be no violation of the Constitution.

In the current controversy, the so-called "amended complaint" and the Lopez complaint, both transmitted on the same day to the Justice Committee together with the Lozano complaint, are nothing more than "bills of particulars" to accompany the Lozano complaint. They both elaborate on the one constitutional offense of "betrayal of public trust." For constitutional purposes, therefore, what is being initiated is only "one proceeding involving one complaint but with an extended bill of particulars."

I can understand, however, why the President's defenders argue the way they do. They must realize that if the "bill of particulars" is elevated to the Senate, the President will be tarred and feathered and be made to squirm. I guess we must bemoan the conclusion that the presidential defenders and their client do not wish to face the music.

• 3:12pm and still suspended. Slow death continues.
• Proceedings resume. But miron temporarily signing off. I'm tossing to inq7's running coverage.

IN OTHER NEWS-- and this should wake you up: Sharia court flogs women found guilty of gambling in Aceh, Indonesia. Reuters shows video of women being caned and flogged outside a mosque as people watch.
Expect more rain in Metro Manila as tropical storm strengthens.

 

Comments

[miron to mlq3 and manuel]

thanks!

[manuelbuencamino]

great work fun reading

[mlq3]

Superb!