No PNoy impeachment–solons

Photo by Robert Viñas / PCOO

MANILA—Several lawmakers yesterday defended President Benigno Aquino III against opposition lawmakers seeking to impeach him for allegedly committing an illegal act in the implementation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“No, he (Aquino) cannot be impeached,” Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said in a text message published by the Philippine Star.

He said that he is confident that there will not be any lawmaker who will vote supporting any impeachment complaint that will be filed in the house.

Proposals to impeach the president surfaced following the Supreme Court’s declaration of the three provisions of the DAP to be unconstitutional.

Saying that savings realignment has been a longtime practice, the house speaker added that Aquino implemented the program in “good faith” and “sincere intentions.”

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III also agreed in Belmonte’s views saying he believes that the House of Representatives will not support any impeachment complaint against Aquino.

“Since impeachment is largely political in nature, this plan will fail,” he said. “How can you impeach a popular President?” Albano was quoted in a Philippine Star report.

“It is baseless and will not hold water,” he said. “In the first place, DAP contributed a lot to the country’s economic growth, as it funded viable and productive programs. It’s just unfortunate that the Supreme Court saw it in bad light,” Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said in the same report.

With reports from Philippine Star