Viral Issues

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose “Chito” Sta. Romana on Wednesday did not confirm whether the Philippines will raise the country's arbitral win in upcoming bilateral talks with China about the maritime dispute.

Sta. Romana told reporters in Beijing that the issue would be raised "at a proper time," echoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

“This is the mechanism that could provide a setting for it. The question is at what point will you bring it up and the president’s instruction is quite clear: at the proper time. We don’t start with the issue that will divide you. We start with the issues that what…if there is a mechanism for discussing it, this is it. At the proper time as the President has said,” he said.

Sta. Romana, the leader of the Philippine delegation, refused to reveal the talking points of the inaugural bilateral dialogue on Friday that would center on finding areas of cooperation.

"As I’ve said, whatever we’re going to present on Friday will be in line with the President’s directive and the President’s directive is very clear: Find a peaceful and diplomatic approach to resolve the issue so as to preserve peace and stability and to further improve bilateral relations and to avoid confrontation, avoid violence that will lead to nobody’s benefit," he said.

"Sometimes you have to give diplomacy a chance and I think the President's friendly position towards China and his independent foreign policy," he added.

The first China-Philippines bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea issue will be held in Guiyang in China's Guizhou province. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying echoed Sta. Romana's statement that the bilateral consultative mechanism will establish an institutional platform for dialogues on the South China Sea-related issues

"China hopes and believes that the two countries will build up consensus, enhance mutual trust, disperse suspicion, properly manage disputes, and move forward maritime practical cooperation through bilateral dialogues so as to make the conditions more favorable towards the final settlement of the relevant dispute and create a good atmosphere for the sound and steady development of bilateral ties and the smooth progress of practical cooperation in various fields," she said in a briefing on Tuesday.

Senior officials of the ASEAN and China will also hold a meeting before the bilateral talks in the same city for the framework of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. —JST, GMA News

A bill seeking to “compress” the required work hours into a four-day work week has passed the committee level at the House of Representatives.

House Bill 5068 got the unanimous approval of the House labor panel earlier this week.

Under the said measure, laborers may only have to work for four or five days a week, instead of the current maximum of six days a week under Presidential Decree 442, or the Labor Code.

The number of normal work hours shall remain at 48 hours, or eight hours a day, which will be “compressed” in these days.

The bill’s author, Baguio Rep. Mark Go, said such arrangements “give employers and employees flexibility in fixing hours of work compatible with business requirements and the employees’ need for balanced work-life.”

“This proposed measure seeks to institutionalize the compressed work week scheme as it proves to promote competitiveness, efficiency and productivity in business and industries,” he added.

Go, however, clarified that adopting the scheme will only be on voluntary basis if the measure is passed into law. — MDM, GMA News

Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday said it is important for institutions in the Philippines to show that they are working to address complaints against the government.

Robredo reiterated that it is better if such matters are handled locally, instead of having to seek intervention from an international body.

“Isa naman tayong sovereign na bansa, kaya mahalaga din na ipakita ng ating institusyon na hindi niya isinasantabi ‘yung mga reklamo ng sambayanan, para hindi kinakailangan na maghahanap ng recourse sa iba,” she said at the sidelines of the launch of Brigada Eskwela 2017 in Balara Elementary School, Quezon City.

The Vice President made the comment after Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said he may elevate his complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC), after the House committee on justice junked his impeachment plea on Monday.

Alejano opened up about the possibility as he vowed to pursue other ways to secure justice over Duterte's alleged misdoings, notably the spate of extrajudicial killings since the latter became president.

If Alejano's plan pushes through, this will be the second information sent to the ICC against Duterte, the first one from lawyer coming from Jude Sabio, lawyer of self-confessed hitman and Davao Death Squad member Edgar Matobato, who had testified against the President before a Senate inquiry.

Herself vocal over the spate of killings in the country, Robredo said anyone is free to avail of such remedy, though she is unsure if the "complaint" will prosper.

Still, she maintained that it would be “ideal” for matters like this to be resolved under the country’s own institutions, noting that the ICC is a court of last resort.

“Tingin ko hindi natin mahihinto kahit sino na gusto mag-avail ng mga prosesong available,” she said. “Pero siyempre, sa atin, bilang bansa, mas gusto natin na nire-resolve natin ‘yung mga problema on our own.”

“Ito sa atin, ‘yun nga, sinasabi ko na ‘yung ideal nag-wo-work ‘yung institutions natin, at umaasa tayo at nagtitiwala na ‘yung mga reklamo ng bawat isa [ay] natutugunan ng institusyon,” she added.

During the interview, the Vice President was also asked about the impeachment complaints drafted against her. The complainants are seeking endorsement from lawmakers, notably House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Robredo said she has not seen the complaints, rooted on several grounds, notably her controversial video message for the side session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in which she raised concerns on Duterte’s drug war.

“‘Yung sa atin kasi, hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na maipahayag ‘yung… hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na marinig namin kung merong basehan ‘yung reklamo,” she said, then reiterated anew that courts and other judicial bodies should deal with complaints properly, so that the people will not need to seek help from “others.” — BAP, GMA News

The Liberal Party (LP) on Tuesday decried the supposed “barrage of fake news” against its president, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

In a statement, the former ruling political party said social media trolls have been spreading the fake story of Pangilinan and Senator Risa Hontiveros supposedly holding hands after they visited Senator Leila de Lima in detention.

A “second wave of deception,” the party said, involves old news stories on Pangilinan’s use of his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), commonly known as pork barrel.

“The barrage of fake news came after Senator Pangilinan questioned the government’s proposal to get as state witness alleged pork-barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles,” said the LP.

“This is meant to discredit those who oppose this plan,” the party added.

The LP advised the public to be “smart consumers of information.”

“News is new, not old. News is complete, not piecemeal. News is what you witness, not just what you quote,” it said.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the Senate will study the propagation of fake news and trolls in social media.

Pimentel advised the party, however, to use technology as well to fight fake news.

“Currently, there are no rules regarding trolls so if trolls [are] now the new political strategy, then being a political party, they develop their own strategy,” Pimentel said.

“A word of caution, hindi lahat ng problema sa mundo ay kaya i-solve ng batas…But tignan natin if a law can address this. Whatever law we enact, who are going to be liable? Where are they?” the Senate leader said, adding that he himself has become a victim of such kind of news. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KBK, GMA News

The Department of Education (DepEd) will focus on the rehabilitation of quake-hit schools in Batangas and Surigao del Norte provinces, and the training of students and teachers for disaster response as part of "Brigada Eskwela 2017," a report on Balitanghali said Friday.

"Maraming natural disasters ngayon, nangyayari during the day when the children are in school. Ayun ang mga teachers, kina-capacitate, ang mga bata tine-train, kasi these are very traumatic experiences for the children," DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said.

The DepEd said it is currently assessing the damage sustained by schools recently hit by calamities, noting that temporary classrooms would be built while damaged schools are being rehabilitated.

"Ito yung temporary classroom muna na magamit nila habang tinatayo o kinukumpuni yung mga nasirang silid aralan," Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said.

Surigao City was hit by a magnitude 6.7 quake in February, while Batangas was rocked by a magnitude 5.5 tremor last month.

Meanwhile, the DepEd will also push for a mandatory drug testing for both students and teachers.

The DepEd is also eyeing to convince about four million out-of-school youth to join the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

About 53,831 teaching positions are open for vacancy as part of the program, in which 20,000 teachers will be assigned to kinder and junior high school and 30,000 to senior high school.

The DepEd earlier released its implementing guidelines for the 2017 Brigada Eskwela with the theme, "Isang DepEd, Isang Pamayanan, Isang Bayanihan Para sa Handa at Ligtas na Paaralan."

This will be conducted on May 15 to 20, 2017.

"Brigada Eskwela" is the national schools' maintenance week, DepEd aims that this would bring all education stakeholders together to participate and contribute their time, effort and resources.

DepEd said that its regional and school division offices will hold a caravan on May 15 to launch the first day of Brigada Eskwela.

The national kick-off ceremony will be in Cebu City on May 15. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/MDM, GMA News

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its denial of Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes' motion to dismiss her plunder case in connection with the pork barrel scam.

In a 43-page resolution, the anti-graft court's Special Third Division denied Reyes' motion for reconsideration of the court's January 3 resolution.

Reyes is a co-accused and a former aide of former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who is facing graft and plunder charges stemming from allegations that the former senator amassed P172.8 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations from 2004 to 2010 by channeling these to the bogus foundations of businesswoman Janet Napoles.

The Ombudsman said Reyes, then chief of staff of Enrile, used to receive the alleged kickbacks from Napoles on the senator’s behalf.

In its resolution, the court gave no merit to Reyes' argument about the timeliness of her motion to quash.

"There is no issue on the timeliness of the filing of the motion to quash.... [C]ontrary to accused Reyes' claim, the Court did not limit her right to avail remedies under the law when it proceeded with her arraignment despite the pendency of her petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court," the resolution read.

The court said Reyes can no longer legally avail a motion to quash because the facts in the case information "sufficiently charge the crime of plunder," and her arguments "must be proven by them during the trial."

Likewise, the court found no merit in Reyes' claim that the case information failed to allege the main plunderer and that the funds in questions were private, and not public, funds of Napoles.

The court also said the Supreme Court itself affirmed the fact that the charges constitute the crime of plunder when it granted Enrile's motion for bill of particulars.

The bill of particulars, according to the Supreme Court, "supply vague facts or allegations in the complaint or information to enable the accused to properly plead and prepare for trial."

The court also said that it had already discussed in its earlier resolution the issues on the allegation of conspiracy and the use of "or" and "and/or" in charging the respondents.

The use of "and/or" simply means Reyes, her deputy chief of staff Jose Antonio Evangelista and Enrile repeatedly received kickbacks from Napoles and her representatives, the court had said then.

As for Reyes' request for release from detention, the court said the proper remedy for it is a petition for bail. But the court had earlier found her grounds for release "without merit both in law and equity."

"Wherefore, the motion for reconsideration... filed by accused Jessica Lucila G. Reyes is denied or being pro forma and for lack of merit," the resolution read.

Reyes is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Female Dormitory in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. —NB, GMA News

Liberal Party president and Senator Francis Pangilinan on Friday slammed the Duterte administration for considering alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles of turning alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles into a state witness.

"Paano nangyari na yung pinakamalaki ang nakulimbat sa pork barrel na mas malaki pa sa bawat politico – dahil sa lahat nung congressman at senador na kanyang kasabwat ay may hati siya — ay gagawing state witness?" said Pangilinan in a statement.

"Napoles will say anything just to save her skin," Pangilinan added.

The senator is hoping that the Higher Court will not allow this to happen.

"Naniniwala tayo na hindi papayag ang korte na gawin siyang state witness dahil magiging katawa-tawa ang ating sistema ng katarungan kapag yung pinakamalaking nambulsa ng pondo ng gobyerno, yung nakipaghati sa lahat ng mga akusado ay siya pa ang mapapawalang-sala," Pangilinan said.

"Base sa ebidensya at testigo, may kickback si Napoles sa bawat politiko kaya kung isama lahat ng nabulsa niya, di hamak na mas malaki ang nakuha niya sa bawat politiko," he added.

"Mastermind ang tawag dun at hindi dapat pumayag ang korte na maabswelto siya," Pangilinan said.

On Thursday, Justice chief Vitaliano Aguirre II met with Napoles' camp to explore the possibility of turning her into a state witness.

Aguirre, however, assured the public that the Department of Justice would conduct impartial probe on the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.

The possibility of Napoles turning into state witness came after the Court of Appeals (CA) acquitted her in the serious illegal detention case lodged by whistleblower Benhur Luy.

The camp of Napoles said she is open to turn state witness if the government would ask her to testify against lawmakers and other government officials accused in connection with the scam.

She has since asked that she be transferred to a supposedly safer detention facility citing death threats following her acquittal by the appellate court. —NB, GMA News

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Friday they were still eyeing personal grudge as a motive in the explosion in Quiapo, Manila over the weekend which claimed the lives of two people and injured six others.

Dela Rosa said they were not totally discounting the possibility of terrorism but they were more focused now on personal motive as the probe continues.

“Eh bakit sa kanya (Nasser Abinal) nakapangalan kung walang galit sa kanya. Bakit sa kanya idineliver? Iyan ang  pag-isipan niya. Kasi kung terorista ako, bakit ko sa isang tao lang (ipapadala), dapat doon sa maraming tao. Anyway, hindi pa naman tapos ang investigation, ongoing pa,” he said in an interview with reporters.

He was referring to Abinal, a Shiite Muslim cleric and a Bureau of Internal Revenue personnel, who was the subject of the package which eventually exploded.

Killed in the incident was a driver of GrabExpress who delivered the package and an aide of Abinal.

He said the Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD has started reconstructing the improvised explosive device (IED).

“Iyon kasing reconstruction ng IED, it depends on the recovery of the fragments found in the crime scene. Kung walang marecover walang ma-reconstruct. So kung kaunti lang ang ma-recover, konti lang ang ma-reconstruct. So lahat 'yan kino-consider ng EOD at ng ating post blast investigator kung paano, to finally come up with, tuldukan ang post blast investigation na ‘yan,” he said.

Asked if the Maute group members could be behind the Quiapo blast, Dela Rosa said there is no clear report on the matter yet.

“Hindi naman klaro ang pagkasabi sa intelligence na mayroon talaga silang identified na Maute na andoon na, so I cannot claim (na mayroon nga),” he said.

He asked the public not to focus too much on the type of explosive used, saying that determining the motive was more important.

“Please huwag kayo agad mag-focus sa bomba, mag-focus tayo sa motive.  Sa ngayon na-establish natin ang motive ay personal talaga,” he said. — MDM, GMA News

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday lashed out at United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard and the American doctor, who supposedly cast doubt on shabu's ill effects on a person's brains.

Duterte said Callamard and "that black guy" should go on a honeymoon.

"She should go to a honeymoon with that black guy, the American... I will pay for their travel. They should be together and discuss between... silang dalawa," Duterte replied when asked about Callamard's tweet.

Duterte didn't mention the name of the American but was apparently referring to Dr. Carl Hart, who Callamard quoted in her tweet over the weekend.

Duterte said that if shabu had no adverse effects, he would readily make it available for Filipinos.

“Kasi kung ang shabu mabuti, ma’am, kung ang shabu is really in consonance with their pronouncement, masiguro mo beginning tomorrow maglagay ako ng mga ano diyan, puno ng shabu ‘yan, diyan sa kanto. Kuha ka lang,” Duterte said. 

“You know, kung makapabuti ‘yan sa Pilipino, maam, ibinigay ko na ‘yan sa totoo lang. Ako na mismo ang magpaluto ng --- instead of pulbura sa Bulacan. Kung isabay ko sa pulbura, sa firecrackers, ipaluto ko shabu. Ako na ang maglagay diyan sa sari-sari, free,” he added. 

Duterte even said that there was also no scientific evidence that shabu was not virulent.

“They have prejudged shabu and announced --- ewan ko kung scientific na it is not … It is not a virulent chemical. ‘Pag ka ganon, wala na tayong pag-usapan. Bakit mo ako idemanda diyan sa ICC kung kayo mismo anak ng p—ina, sinasabi na ninyo na ‘yung shabu hindi nakakasira ng tao,” he said.

“You have prejudged everything and you are referring to the core of the complaint against me. Why would I go there and hang myself?” he added. —NB, GMA News

The highest ranking House member of the Liberal Party admitted that they were hurt as another five of their former partymates moved to the administration party, PDP-Laban.

Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo said it was “disappointing each time a party member leaves,” more so because they treat members “as family.”

“It’s like losing a brother or a sister,” Quimbo said in a statement  just as 10 lawmakers were about to take their oath to enter PDP-Laban, leaving the former ruling party behind.

“It’s doubly more painful (sic), considering that those that have remained, including those who are leaving this afternoon, have been through a lot of trials already. Despite the difficulty of their situation, they decided to stay with the party. So that’s why it’s painful,” he added.

However, the deputy speaker said the party members had no choice but to understand their former party mates' decision considering the interests of their constituents and their chances in the 2019 midterm polls.

“They’ve been convinced that the best way to get re-elected is by joining the majority party. These are political realities that face many leaders,” Quimbo said.

Quimbo lauded those remained with the party, which has seen a big drop in its membership at the House after President Rodrigo Duterte succeeded LP stalwart former President Benigno Aquino III.

Among the newly-minted members of the administration party are the following former LP stalwarts:

All of them are part of the House supermajority, and voted for the controversial death penalty bill, a decision that went against their former party’s stand.

Their move to the ruling party leaves only 27 lawmakers in the LP House contingent, five of whom are in the independent minority.

The lawmakers added to the already formidable PDP-Laban at the House, which now counts 121 members as it leads a supermajority coalition in the chamber.

House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas indicated on Wednesday that more LP members were jumping to the ruling party, but refused to go into detail.

“‘Yung iba, susunod pa. Lima ‘yung nandito,” he said during the oath-taking. “’Yung iba, pino-process pa ‘yung application nila.”

Reasons for leaving

Hours before the oath-taking, Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte, LP secretary-general, confirmed with GMA News Online that Roman, Adiong, Catamco, and Vargas were indeed moving out of their party.

Castelo, who has been with LP the longest among the five lawmakers, was not part of their count.

Asked if he informed party leaders of his decision, the lawmaker said it was a work in progress, saying in jest that he only sought permission from his wife, the “speaker of the house.”

The new PDP-Laban members said they did this out of support for Duterte.

“It is clear that the people are supportive of the Duterte administration. As a representative, I have to heed to the wisdom of our people,” Vargas said in a statement, adding that he did it “for [his] advocacies and his constituents.

Roman, meanwhile, said she wanted to take the “opportunity” to unite in efforts to work for the country, saying, “the success of the president and this administration” is for the entire country.

The lawmaker, known as the first transgender woman elected to Congress, admitted that local politics “was one of the factors” for her move.

Reacting to LP leaders’ statements, she said: “Goodbyes are always sad.”

“Siyempre minahal ko rin sila at patuloy kong mamahalin, gaya ng pagmamahal ko sa lahat ng aking mga colleagues dito sa House,” she said.

“‘Di ko rin naman alam na masasaktan sila. Ako rin naman siyempre merong kalungkutan, and I thank them for wishing me all the best. Patuloy naman kaming magtatrabaho para sa ikabubuti ng bansa,” she added.

Meanwhile, Vargas said he wants to “contribute” in uniting the President and his party and Vice President Leni Robredo, LP’s interim chair.

Robredo is facing a possible impeachment bid, with two complaints against her seeking lawmakers’ endorsement.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, PDP-Laban secretary-general, had threatened that he would look into filing an impeachment rap against her, following the release of her controversial video message for a side session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting.

Alvarez confirmed this week that he has received the two impeachment complaints against Robredo.

Asked if he will endorse any of the two, the Speaker said he is still studying both raps.

About half of the LP House contingent had vowed to fight impeachment efforts against the Vice President, and declared non-support for the one filed against Duterte. —NB, GMA News

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday downplayed the appointment of a former lawyer of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles in his administration, saying it had little to do with recent developments of the case.

Lanee David, who represented Napoles in cases regarding her alleged involvement in the malversation of legislators' Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), is currently deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Her husband Stephen David remains Napoles' counsel. The couple were staunch supporters of Duterte's presidential campaign and are also alumni of San Beda College.

"You know you must understand lawyering as we understand you whatever you publish and say. Trabaho lang po ‘yan. We have to earn our keep," Duterte said at a pre-departure press briefing in Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

"As a lawyer, when we accept a case, the only promise there is that we will do our best. But we will not corrupt the truth. That is the line that we have to be conscious of... Lawyering, ma’am, wala ‘yan," he added.

Duterte also addressed questions about whether Napoles could turn state witness, as indicated by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

"As to the question of whether or not she could be utilized as a state witness, there’s a law which says that one of the requirements at least she appears to be the least guilty. If you are a major player, I don’t know if you can do it," he said.

"It’s up to the judge. It is the judge, the prosecutor who would make the prayer by motion and the judge will decide. And marami kasi," he added.

"There is no other witness to prove your case, that’s one. Second is that the proposed witness must appear to be the least guilty. So if you are asking for an expanded explanation it’s just that she appears to be the minimal player not the major player in the commission of the crime."

Duterte, however, refused to answer if he thought Napoles was indeed the least guilty.

"It is pending in court. We lawyers are always advised never to comment because — lalo na ako President — I will be liable for contempt. And I might be arrested and I am busy now with my job, dispense money for the Filipinos. And I do not want to go to prison upon my return," he said.

Serious illegal detention

But Duterte did share his two cents on the decision of the Court of Appeals to acquit Napoles in the serious illegal detention case involving her former aide and relative Benhur Luy, who is also a witness in the pork barrel cases.

The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence that Napoles kept Luy detained against his will.

"Maski ako talaga, as a former prosecutor, I cannot think of how a person could be a victim of being hostage when he had all the while all the opportunity to go out and never come back, and he was allowed to go home," he said.

"It was I think — no offense intended — sadya na ano, sadyang nagpa-preso. It’s because as you say, we were all spectators to the development and even the revelations with the nuns and in the apartment she was or he was… She or he? Or he? He was confined," he added.

"Kung gamitin ko ‘yung pagka-piskal ko hindi ko talaga i-file ‘yon. It’s crazy. In and out, in and out and several times he was left alone."

Duterte's position reflected that of Solicitor General Jose Calida, who made a manifestation in court supporting Napoles' position. —JST, GMA News

The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) is set to file an impeachment case against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales next week once House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez decides to either sponsor it or refer it to other lawmakers.

"We wanted the speaker to sponsor it as much as possible but it all depends on him kasi ang sabi niya ini-istudy niya very seriously itong aming complaint na tapos na," Atty. Manny Luna, VACC's impeachment counsel said in a forum on Wednesday.

"I and former [Negros Occidental] congressman [Jacinto] Paras have finalized this complaint together with Atty. [Ferdinand] Topacio. We are waiting for the speaker to decide. Probably he will sponsor it or he will ask some other cogressmen to do it," he added.

However, Luna emphasized that they will not rely solely on Alvarez's decision.

"Pero we cannot wait forever. Hindi naman pwedeng hintayin namin siya until he decides. Kung mabagal naman, we have to think over kung anong gagwin," he said.

"But we are giving the benefit of the doubt to the speaker. He knows better eh. That's their prerogative," Luna added.

Luna said that the filing of the impeachment case would be probably next week if they will be "lucky" enough.

"If the speaker will be able to come up with his decision...Sa palagay namin magcoconsult pa yan ng mga political liutenants niya at kung mayroong consensus, probably if we're lucky baka next week. Baka lamang. That's just my fearless forecast. Hindi ko pwedeng ibigay or pangunahan yung desisyon ng speaker. He's the leader of the house so depende ho sa kanya. Pero inexplain na namin yung gist ng complaint," he said.

In January, VACC chairman Dante Jimenez said that he was considering filing an impeachment complaint against Morales over the supposed slow progress of the Mamasapano case.

Meanwhile, Morales earlier said that she was not bent on filing a case against former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III over the Mamasapano clash just to avoid an impeachment complaint.

Luna told GMA News Online that they have cited the following six grounds of impeachable offenses against Morales:

• Culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of the public trust for allegedly grossly failing in her duty to promptly act on complaints and to resolve or dispose these complaints without inordinate delay

• For allegedly being biased against those who opposed to former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and singled them out for prosecution while being steadfast in dismissing cases against allies of Aquino

• For allegedly being biased in favor of Aquino and for being so, shielded him from prosecution

• Graft and corruption for supposedly not complying with the procurement rules

• For allegedly disregarsing the ruling of the Supreme Court by giving a prospective application to the abandonment of the condonation doctrine in governor Roel Degamo (Negros Oriental) case and abused her authority in dismissing him twice from the office

• Usurpation of the powers of the House of the Representatives and the Senate in suspending Congressman Freddie Siao and Senator Joel Villanueva

"Dito sa kaso ni Ombudsman, we are 100 percent sure. We are for the filing of the conplaint. Ang hininhintay lang namin yung go signal kasi inamin naman ng ating butihing speaker na kinausap namin siya at yan ay totoo," Luna said.

"We will not deny that, we went to his office and we talked to him about it. Because this is a political action, hindi pwede kami ang sasali diyan because 99 percent of the job will be done by the Congress especially the House," he added.

Moreover, former Manila City councilor Greco Belgica earlier urged the SC to strip Morales of her license as a lawyer for clearing Aquino over his administration's implementation of the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Belgica said that the retired SC justice violated the Lawyer's Oath and the Canon of Professional Responsibility when she approved earlier this month the resolution absolving Aquino of the charges for technical malversation, usurpation of legislative powers, and graft. —NB, GMA News