Former UN delegate praises the congresswoman who pursued Bautista impeachment

Mike Acebedo and House of Representative Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia, photo compiled from Google

Former United Nations General Assembly delegate Mike Acebedo Lopez in his Facebook page praised House of Representatives deputy speaker Gwendolyn Garcia.

This was after Commission on Elections Chairman Andy Bautista was recently removed from his position, after Garcia's insistence that it be so.



The post was also made on the legislator's 62nd birthday.

"During the House Justice Committee hearing, she was one of only two legislators who opposed junking the complaint. Despite not having the numbers, she spoke up and defended their position to #ImpeachAndy so ably and articulately," he said.

" Alas, for whatever reason, the other members of the committee were bent on giving Bautista a free pass that would've allowed him to continue being Comelec chairman well into the 2019 election. The House Justice Committee voted to junk the verified complaint against Bautista for insufficiency in form," he added.

The original decision was to dismiss the complaint, yet there was a reversal from two to 137 voting to impeach Bautista.



Lopez said that when all hope was lost, Garcia stood firm on her ground.

"Knowing the House Justice Committee decision can be overturned by a one-third vote from the entire House of Representatives, an unrelenting Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia, during the plenary session, consistent with her original position, moved to reject the committee's resolution," he said.

Lopez added that Garcia's was a stubborn, unyielding voice that led the charge for 136 other members of Congress to reject the Justice Committee resolution and effectively impeach Comelec Chair Andres Bautista.

"That is leadership, the kind of leadership we deserve from our legislators in both the upper and lower house, one that does not give up on the quest for justice and truth even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. She is a champion of the people and President Rody Duterte's #PartnerForChange, a true partner for change."

Bautista was the first COMELEC chairman and the first official to be impeachedunder the Duterte administration, a victory which Garcia hailed.


source: Rappler