Free Republic

Opposition MPs in the Philippines have launched an impeachment motion against the country's President, Gloria Arroyo. The move against Mrs Arroyo, who is battling allegations of electoral fraud, was widely expected. But the procedure is set to be slow - the motion was first sent to the lower house's justice committee, which has 60 working days to weigh its merits. The move came as Mrs Arroyo prepared to give a crucial state of the nation address. The impeachment motion submitted to the country's House of Representatives, or lower house, accused the president of betraying her country over a telephone call...

A third of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Cabinet quit en masse Friday and urged the Philippine leader to step down, saying she has been crippled by an election scandal and has lost the ability to lead. It was the latest blow to Arroyo, who looked increasingly isolated amid accusations that she talked to an election official about ensuring a million-vote victory in last year's presidential vote. The capital's police force went on full alert and additional contingents were securing the presidential palace to prevent rowdy demonstrations that could disrupt government services, Metropolitan Manila police chief Vidal Querol said. "There...

MANILA, July 6, 2005 (STAR) (AP) - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's corruption-tainted husband left Wednesday for self-imposed exile in the United States as part of the embattled leader's efforts to distance herself from political scandals that threaten her government. Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, a lawyer from a prominent family who has been accused of influence-peddling and receiving kickbacks from illegal gambling, bid a somber farewell to his daughter, son and granddaughter at Manila airport before boarding a flight to Hong Kong, from where he will continue to his final destination in the U.S. "He is sad," his lawyer Jesus...

A SENIOR Roman Catholic church leader on Wednesday backed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's decision to bring in US troops for a joint anti-terror mission in the south. Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, chided leftist groups for opposing Ms Macapagal's decision to let US troops take part in joint operations against the alleged local allies of the al-Qaeda terror network. Such critics were ignoring the "overwhelming" support for the US assistance in the fight against Abu Sayyaf Muslim kidnappers who are linked to al-Qaeda," Quevedo said in a statement. He said the anti-US protests, staged...