Efforts to impeach Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, or GMA is a politician who served as the president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010. During her tenure, she encountered six total complaints, one in 2005 and 2006, and two in 2007 and 2008. She was the target of three ouster plots, namely the Oakwood mutiny, the Oplan HACKLE coup d'état attempt, and the Manila Peninsula siege. She was the victim of three other protests related to her controversies, namely the protests related to EDSA III, the Hello Garci scandal, and the NBN–ZTE deal corruption scandal.

Complaints

Votes for the impeachment of Arroyo in the House of Representatives.

2005 complaint

A complaint was filed on August 2005 against Arroyo by Congressman Rodolfo Bacani. The complaint was based around supposed cheating in the 2004 Philippine presidential election. It was rejected by the House Committee of Justice after it didn't have the 79 required signatures from the House of Representatives, or one-third of the House. Administration and opposition members of the Congress said that the complaint did not stand a chance, according to a New York Times article. Just before the House threw away the case, a televised session started with anti-Arroyo lawmakers. The debate continued for 23 hours–one of the longest in Philippine television history. After the debate, a protest happened. Former president Corazon Aquino, who participated in the protests, tried to ask Arroyo to resign.

Net satisfaction rating ("satisfied" minus "dissatisfied") of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, based on quarterly polling of Social Weather Stations.

2006 complaint

Civil society and opposition groups planned a complaint in 2006. However, the complaint was blocked by the 2005 complaint because Arroyo's lawyers, consisting of Romulo Macalintal and Alberto Agra, stated that the previous complaint still had a pending petition. It was officially filed by the "Erap 5", a group which supports Estrada and co-handled by 30 members from the Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice, another pro-Estrada group on July 24. The complainants wore blue shirts with the phrase "Fight for Justice" to further support the complaint.

2007 complaints

Lawyer Roel Pulido presented a three-page complaint to the Philippine House of Representatives on October 5. It discussed the failure of taking action over the $329 million awarding of the Chinese company ZTE. Eventually, the petition had one endorser, Representative Edgar San Luis. At 10 p.m. PHT, five days after the presentation, the complaint moved to the House Committee of Justice. That same day, Arroyo discussed the complaint with lawmakers from the House of Representatives. Another complaint was created on November 12 about the alleged kidnapping of government critics. Analysts stated that, since the political party of Arroyo dominated the House, the impeachment complaint would not succeed. Eventually, this was confirmed by Representative Matias Defensor Jr., an ally of Arroyo, who stated that the House would not accept any more impeachment complaints.

2008 complaints

Neri Colmenares, from Bayan Muna, and other complainants, specifically Jose de Venecia III, Editha Burgos, Erlinda Cadapan, and Rolex Suplico, decided to file a complaint in accordance with Articles 11, section two and three, in the constitution. It was filed at 7:40  on October 14, beating a separate group of lawyers by 40 minutes. The complaint was filed for and verified. It was filed for her alleged betrayal of public trust, violation of the constitution, bribery, graft, and other crimes. The complaint also wanted to account for the 2004 Fertilizer Fund scam, the 2005 Hello Garci scandal, and a controversy regarding cash gifts in 2007. The complaint was ignored by House representatives. Former President Joseph Estrada accepted the complaint. The complaint had a generally mixed response by the public. It was initially passed, though the House minority rejected the complaint. On November 4 the next month, Venecia filed another complaint against Arroyo. The complaint was rejected 42-8 by the House Committee on Justice, which Representative Edcel Lagman called "insufficient in substance."

Ouster plots

Oakwood mutiny

Main article: Oakwood mutiny

On July 27, 2003, at 1:00 a.m. PHT, approximately 300 soldiers took over Oakwood Premiere, Makati, to demand the resignation of Arroyo and to complain about anomalies in the military retirement benefits and procurement system. They called themselves the Magdalo Group. They disarmed the security guards, planted claymore mines around the building, and threatened to set off the explosives if the government attacked. At 5:00 a.m., they decided to go on air repeating their demand and supporting Gregorio Honasan's National Recovery Program. Three hours later, a government press briefing showed politicians telling the soldiers to surrender. At 1:00 p.m., Arroyo declared a state of rebellion. After negotiations with the soldiers, they surrendered at 10:00 p.m. They took over the hotel for 20 hours. The leaders of the mutiny, including Navy Lieutenant Antonio Trillanes, were charged with coup d’etat.

Oplan HACKLE and Coup d'état attempt

Main article: Oplan HACKLE

See also: 2006 state of emergency in the Philippines

Two executives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, namely Danilo Lim and a senior officer, were arrested on February 24. They were being detained for being leaders of "misguided elements who were planning to join a march" against Arroyo. Immediately, Arroyo made an emergency cabinet. The government later found out that Gregorio Honasan planned to unseat Arroyo. Honasan was persuading officers to take part in the "Oplan HACKLE", uncovered in February 2006. The scheme was going to lead to the mass escape of army personnel. Before the arrest, Arroyo started a 7-day state of emergency. The state of emergency declaration further increased protests about her. A Magdalo Group soldier confirmed the existence of the plan on July 16, which was allegedly put in meetings for 13 months.

Manila Peninsula siege

Main article: Manila Peninsula siege

Map covering the places where the Manila Peninsula siege and Oakwood mutiny took place.

On their trial for the Oakwood mutiny on November 29, 2007, Trillanes, Gen. Danilo Lim, and other Magdalo soldiers walked out of their trial and went to the Manila Peninsula hotel. When the soldiers reached the hotel, the entrances were sealed. The soldiers eventually went inside and requested a room for a press conference. Meanwhile, the government planned a deadline of 3 p.m. for the surrender of the soldiers. Government soldiers blocked the perimeter before firing shots. Hotel workers tried to escape the scene. After, a tank crashed in the hotel. After seven hours, Trillanes surrendered. He was eventually charged with rebellion and imprisoned.

Protests

EDSA III protests

Main article: EDSA III

Protests started when Joseph Estrada was arrested on April 25. Four days after, Iglesia ni Cristo leaders went to former President Joseph Estrada's residence to finalize plans for a movement against the arrest of Joseph Estrada and opposing the presidency of Arroyo. Hours later, supporters met up in Santa Mesa, Manila, to start the protest. The protests included pro-Estrada senatorial candidates, the Puwersa ng Masa alliance, and pro-Estrada supporters. Supporters were planned to block the residence of Estrada and Camp Crame, but protesters swarmed at EDSA instead. The next day, senator Nene Pimentel negotiated with Eraño Manalo. Hours later, Iglesia ni Cristo pulled out of the protests. By May 1, the crowd reached approximately 100,000 people. The protest ended shortly after.

Hello Garci scandal protests

Main article: Hello Garci scandal

Senator Grace Poe delivering a speech in the ten-year anniversary of the Hello Garci scandal.

Because of the Hello Garci scandal which happened on June 11, protests started and grew across the country. The next day, protests lessened to celebrate Philippine Independence Day. People who sympathized for whistleblower Samuel Ong started protests on June 14 after believing that the government manipulated the tape recordings which contained a wiretapped conversation from Arroyo. The protests were started to, also, oust politicians and to nullify the results of the 2004 Philippine presidential election. Protests started again nationwide on July 1. The demonstrations asked for international aid to run new elections. Protesters continued to protest by July, with some universities initiating a desire for Arroyo to resign. Arroyo rejected to resign on July 7, wanting her cabinet to resign instead so she can have a "free hand to reorganize". Eventually, eight cabinet members resigned. Still, the protests continued. 30,000 people protested in Makati on July 13. On July 16, pro-Arroyo protesters went to the Quirino Grandstand to support Arroyo. Protests started again to put Arroyo to trial on August 30. Protests started again on September 7 in multiple places in Manila, like EDSA. On February 4, 2006, large protests started again in EDSA, along with an alleged coup attempt.

NBN-ZTE scandal protests

Main article: NBN–ZTE deal corruption scandal

The Philippine government and the ZTE Corporation entered a contract for a government network in April 2007. Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos went to the headquarters of ZTE on August 29 and played golf with them. Then, Nueva Vizcaya Representative Carlos Padilla found two other companies offering to build the network for a cheaper price, causing Senator Nene Pimentel to call for a senate investigation about the deal the next month. 10,000 protesters met at the Ninoy Aquino monument at Makati to support witness Jun Lozada and to demand the resignation of Arroyo on February 15. Two days later, 5,000 protesters, including former president Corazon Aquino, attended a prayer rally at La Salle Green Hills in support for Lozada. On February 24, Filipino groups that formed a coalition calling for Arroyo's resignation conducted an interfaith prayer rally in Chater Road in Central, Hong Kong.

See also

• Efforts to impeach Rodrigo Duterte
• Trial of Joseph Estrada
• People Power Revolution