US embassy cable - 05MANILA3901

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003901 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/PMBS, INR/EAP, INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PINR, RP 
SUBJECT: PRO-ARROYO MAJORITY WINS INITIAL VOTE IN HOUSE ON 
IMPEACHMENT CHARGES 
 
REF: A. MANILA 3862 
 
     B. MANILA 3810 
     C. MANILA 3697 
     D. MANILA 3391 
 
Classified By: Acting Pol/C Joseph L. Novak 
for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  The pro-Arroyo Majority in the House won 
the initial vote in the Justice Committee on the Opposition's 
impeachment charges against President Arroyo on August 23. 
The vote in the Committee was 54-24 against an Opposition 
motion to move directly into discussion of the substance of 
the charges.  The Opposition has harshly criticized the 
Committee's decision, asserting that Malacanang was trying to 
stall debate contrary to promises that it would allow all 
charges to be fully aired.  Hearings continued throughout the 
day on August 24.  At this point, with the pro-Arroyo 
majority holding together to a large extent, the Opposition's 
effort to impeach Arroyo seems to be in some trouble.  End 
Summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
Majority Wins Initial Vote 
-------------------------- 
 
2.  (U) The House Justice Committee voted on August 23 to 
resolve procedural issues concerning which impeachment 
complaint it should recognize before reviewing the substance 
of any of the charges made against President Arroyo.  The 
Committee voted largely along party lines, with 54 members 
voting to defeat an Opposition motion to move directly to the 
substance of the charges.  Twenty-four lawmakers supported 
the motion.  Three members abstained.  At issue is whether 
the Committee will consider the original complaint filed by 
private citizen Oliver Lozano in June, an amended complaint 
filed subsequently by another private citizen, or an amended 
and comprehensive complaint filed by Opposition lawmakers in 
July (ref d).  The Opposition has underscored that its 
complaint should be the one recognized and discussed in the 
hearings.  Pro-Arroyo Congressman Edcel Lagman, the Vice 
Chairman of the Justice Committee, defended the decision to 
resolve all procedural issues first, commenting that the 
Committee's decision will "provide a roadmap for the orderly 
handling of the impeachment complaints."  He added that: 
"Nobody lost in the voting.  It was a victory for the rule of 
law.  It was a triumph for the Constitution." 
 
3.  (U) On August 24, the Committee continued its debate on 
the rules of the impeachment hearings.  Chairman Simeon 
Datumanong vowed to reduce the list of procedural issues to 
the "barest minimum" in order to enable the Committee to move 
more quickly.  As of late afternoon August 24, the Committee 
had not reached a consensus on the central issue of which 
impeachment complaint to consider.  The Justice Committee is 
scheduled to reconvene from August 30 through September 1 to 
continue debate. 
 
--------------------- 
Opposition Lashes Out 
--------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Opposition lawmakers have gown increasingly critical 
of what they see as efforts by the Administration to 
stonewall in the Justice Committee and to avoid addressing 
the central issues in the impeachment complaints.  Opposition 
members assert that it is time that the hearings reviewed 
substantive issues, noting that 22 session days have already 
passed without discussion of any substantive issues, over 
one-third of the time allotted.  (Note:  The Justice 
Committee must give its recommendation to the House within 60 
session days of opening hearings into the impeachment 
complaint.  End Note.)  Ronnie Zamorra, an anti-Arroyo 
congressman from Manila, told Acting Pol/C recently that he 
was certain that Malacanang was trying to stall debate and, 
by doing so, derail the proceedings.  He asserted that such 
an effort was contrary to Arroyo's promises to allow the 
impeachment charges to be fully aired.  Surigao del Norte 
Representative Robert "Ace" Barbers, at an August 23 press 
conference where he endorsed the Opposition's impeachment 
complaint, said, "We can never see the truth in killing the 
impeachment process due to a technicality."  (Note:  Barbers 
and at least three other representatives announced their 
support for the opposition's impeachment complaint on August 
23.  There are different figures, but about 50 House members 
seem to have endorsed the complaint as of this time.  A total 
of 79 or more House members need to endorse the complaint if 
it is going to be referred to the Senate.  End Note.) 
 
5.  (C) Opposition lawmakers, such as Minority Leader Francis 
"Chis" Escudero, have threatened to walk out of the 
proceedings if the Justice Committee decides to hear only the 
original Lozano petition, which many believe to be the 
weakest complaint against the President.  Furthermore, some 
lawmakers are threatening to "take the issue to the streets" 
and air their grievances through protests if they become 
convinced that the impeachment hearings are not going 
anywhere.  In the recent meeting with Acting Pol/C, Zamorra 
made clear that the "street protest" option was something the 
Opposition was seriously considering if its complaint was not 
the one selected for review by the Justice Committee. 
 
6.  (U) Despite the setbacks in the House, some Opposition 
members believe they can make progress in the House on the 
impeachment charges regardless of which complaint the 
Committee ultimately decides to review.  Pro-Opposition 
Congressman Allan Peter Cayetano said in an interview that he 
and his colleagues can present key allegations against Arroyo 
under the blanket charge of "betrayal of public trust," which 
is an element in all three impeachment complaints. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (C) The pro-Arroyo majority in the House is a 
considerable one and it seems to be holding together to a 
large extent at this point.  The Opposition has shown little 
ability to pick up cross-over support, though some in the 
Opposition claim that more House members support its 
impeachment complaint than have publicly admitted to doing 
so.  Thus far, the news from the House is largely positive 
for Malacanang.  It is possible, however, that Malacanang 
could win the battle, but lose the war for public opinion if 
it is perceived as trying to stifle debate in the House. 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/ 
 
JOHNSON