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Raissa Robles

A ploy to shield President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from impeachment has backfired, with two lawmakers  claiming the Arroyo camp offered them bribes to endorse a 'sham' impeachment complaint.
An attempt by Francis Ver of the Kampi party to bribe two lawmakers had 'shocked' the party,  its chairman, Ronaldo Puno, also an Arroyo cabinet official, said. Mr Puno said he had sacked Mr Ver and a probe would be conducted.
Left-wing congressman Crispin Beltran  said in open session yesterday that 'at around 12 noon [last Friday], this representative was approached by  Francis Ver, deputy secretary general of Kampi ... [which is] coincidentally the mother party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo'.
He said Mr Ver offered him 'one M', which he took to mean  1 million pesos (HK$175,800), in exchange for endorsing a fresh impeachment complaint against Mrs Arroyo.
Mr Ver later doubled the offer to '2 M', he said. This convinced Mr Beltran that 'he is indeed resolute in seeking my support'.
Mr Beltran said he got out of this 'very indecent proposal' by telling Mr Ver he had to consult the opposition bloc first.
Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, leader of the opposition bloc identified with jailed former president Joseph Estrada, also  said Mr Ver tried to  buy his support.
Mr Ver initially denied the claims but later said: 'I did not mention any amount, I'm sure, but there is an element of doubt ... I might have mentioned [an amount], but not in the context of bribery.'
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye  called the bribe attempts 'unsubstantiated'.
Four other opposition lawmakers said they were approached by another Arroyo lieutenant to endorse the bid but no money was offered.
Mr Beltran said he put two and two together when, hours later, an impeachment complaint was  filed in Congress by lawyer Roel Pulido.
Mr Pulido claimed Mrs Arroyo had 'betrayed public trust' by approving the US$330 million national broadband network of Chinese company ZTE, despite knowing one cabinet official was offered a bribe to endorse it.
The  complaint was endorsed for congressional action by  Arroyo ally congressman Edgar San Luis.
He later admitted he did not believe Mrs Arroyo was guilty of the charge.
Opposition congressmen shied away, saying it was meant to shield  Mrs Arroyo from impeachment. The constitution allows only one impeachment complaint to be taken up by Congress every year.
They added it was meant to stop a Senate probe into  the ZTE deal. Senators have to sit as impartial judges during an impeachment trial.
Even Senator Miriam Santiago, a staunch Arroyo ally, said the complaint would 'immunise Mrs Arroyo from any impeachment attempt for a year'.



Arroyo camp accused of impeachment bribes ploy