“The impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Ruel Pulido and endorsed by Rep. Edgar San Luis is a sham complaint; a sinister plot by Malacanang to protect the President,” ayon kay Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran.

Nasa ibaba ang buong texto ng kanyang talumpating binigkas sa House of Representatives kahapon:

A privilege speech by Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
October 9, 2007

Mr./Madam Speaker, Honorable Members of the House of Representatives, lease accept my most sincere greetings. This Representation rises on matter of personal and collective privilege to express my views and opinions on the latest impeachment complaints filed against the Chief Executive, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Mr./Madam Speaker, to set the record straight and complete the information I volunteered yesterday so that this Chamber will continue the task of investigating the circumstances surrounding the present impeachment complaint against President Arroyo and guide this Chamber on the proper action to take on the impeachment complaint, let me inform you Mr. Speaker and my distinguished colleagues that last October 5, at around 12 noon, this representation was approached by Francis Ver, Deputy Secretary General of KAMPI or the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, a political party and coincidingly, the mother party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

To set the record straight and make clear my revelation yesterday, let me inform you Mr./Madam Speaker of what actually transpired last Friday. Before the plenary budget deliberation suspended for lunch break, Mr. Ver approached this Representation inside the session hall near the south gallery and offered P1 Million in exchange for my signature to the impeachment complaint against the President. At first I thought that Mr. Ver was not serious, so I simply told him that I am busy and couldn’t entertain him because among the agenda in the plenary is the deliberation of the budget of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

However, a few hours later (that was after lunch break, maybe around 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon), he approached me again in the session hall near the South Lounge and offered me P2 Million – an amount which is twice as much as his first offer. That was the time when I deemed he is indeed resolute in seeking my support.

Mr./Madam Speaker, thinking of a polite manner of declining a very indecent proposal, this representation told him that I have to consult first my colleagues from the progressive bloc, and with the Minority thereafter. Mr./Madam Speaker, sa pagkakilala ninyo sa akin, imposibleng pumayag ang kinatawang ito sa iniaalok na suhol ni Mr. Ver! Ni wala nga siyang hawak o ipinapakitang kopya ng impeachment complaint. This representation immediately had a flash of thought of the late great Senator Lorenzo Tanada, who when confronted with a similar situation as mine said, “I would rather die on my feet with honor than to live on bended knees in shame;” which I often quote in this Chamber.

Later that day, I was informed that Atty. Roberto Rafael Pulido, through the endorsement of Laguna Rep. Edgar San Luis, filed an impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before House Secretary General Roberto Nazareno at exactly 5:00 p.m.

Mr./Madam Speaker, distinguished colleagues, this representation strongly denounces the fake impeachment complaint endorsed by Rep. San Luis and filed by Atty. Pulido against the Chief Executive. For all we know, this impeachment complaint could be a theatrical move and sinister plot concocted by Malacanang to save President Arroyo from a substantial, just and genuine impeachment complaint. Based on Article 10, Section 3 of the Constitution, “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.”

In this case Mr./Madam Speaker, this representation firmly believe that the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Pulido and endorsed by Rep. San Luis is aimed at protecting or insulating the President from any and all impeachment complaints for an entire year and not making her culpable for betrayal of public trust, the main grounds stated in complaint.

Ang aking tanong, Mr./Madam Speaker, mga kapwa ko mambabatas, ano ang kaugnayan ni G. Francis Ver sa impeachment complaint na ito at bakit siya nag-alok ng P2 milyon sa representasyong ito at sa iba pang Kinatawan na kasapi ng minorya. Kung si G. Ver ay aktibo pa sa KAMPI, ang pampulitikang partido ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas, maliwanag na may kinalaman ang Malakanyang at ang administrasyon sa isinampang impeachment complaint ni Atty. Pulido.

Mr./Madam Speaker, sa mga naipahayag at naibunyag na pangyayari kaugnay sa maanomalyang ZTE-NBN deal at sa muling pagkakasangkot ng pangalan ni First Gentleman Mike Arroyo at sa napakarami pang kaso ng anomalya na kinasasangkutan ni Pangulong Arroyo, naniniwala ako na gagawin ng Malakanyang ang lahat para maisalba ang pampulitikang liderato ng administrasyong Arroyo.

Kaya nilang mag-alok ng suhol sa mga Kinatawan ng Kongreso para maisulong lamang ang isang pekeng impeachment complaint na magbibigay ng proteksyon sa Pangulo. Gusto pa nilang suhulan at mawalan ng kredibilidad ang Kinatawang ito. Nakakahiya sila!

Kaya Mr./Madam Speaker, kailangang malaman ng kapulungang ito ang katotohanan sa likod ng isinampang impeachment complaint ni Atty. Pulido at kung ano talaga ang kaugnayan dito ng panunuhol ng aminadong operaytor ng Malacañang na si Mr. Francis Ver, ang deputy secretary-general ng KAMPI political party, na siyang partido ni Pangulong Arroyo.

Ito lamang po Mr./Madam Speaker, maraming salamat at magandang umaga sa inyong lahat!