The de Venecia impeachment complaint is the latest of several such complaints filed against the President since 2005. Like those that came before it, the complaint did not survive the plenary voting on December 3, 2008.
Here’s a look back on how the House of Representatives voted out its predecessors:
first come, first serve
In 2005, three impeachment complaints were filed against President Arroyo: one filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano, another filed by Atty. Jose Lopez, and yet another– the “amended complaint”, which had the backing of opposition members.
A Justice Committee report found Lozano’s impeachment complaint sufficient in form but not in substance. The same committee report barred the other two complaints, which were filed after the original Lozano complaint.
A majority of the House members voted to uphold the Justice committee report and effectively junked all three impeachment complaints filed against President Arroyo.
In 2006, eight impeachment complaints were filed against President Arroyo. The text of the complaints were all the same, although filed separately by different complainants on different dates to ensure that the impeachment will not be junked on a technicality.
Only the eighth complaint was recognized by the House Committee on Justice. It went on to uphold the complaint’s sufficiency in form, but ultimately trashed the same complaint for its insufficiency in substance.
Again, majority ruled and the committee report dismissing the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo was upheld.
In 2007, two impeachment complaints were filed against President Arroyo. Atty. Roberto Rafael Pulido filed the first impeachment complaint in October that year. Another impeachment complaint was filed by members of civil society organizations the following month.