LOWER HOUSE GATHERS SIGNATURES

Late October, after the expose of Gov Chavit Singson, the House initiated steps that commenced with a hearing in the Justice Committee where Congressmen allied with the President succeeded in gagging the Governor. Succeeding events led to the filing of the Impeachment complaint to elevate the matter to the Senate for trial. 73 votes, or 1/3 of the House, were needed to sign the complaint.

HOUSE IMPEACHES PRES. ESTRADA

After the House gathered signatures, whose numbers surpassed the required 73, the House, acting in plenary, approved the Impeachment complaint in a dramatic coup that saw Speaker Manny Villar reading the complaint, and ordering the House Secretary to transmit the same to the Senate.

Joker was one of the authors of the statement read by Speaker Villar. A coup in the House was deftly executed.

And so it was that on November 13, 2000, the House led by Speaker Villar and Joker Arroyo impeached President Estrada - the first in the history of the Philippines, and of Asia.

From there the House selected the 11 man panel of prosecutors that would carry out the herculean task of convicting the President in a political court (the Senate), majority of who owe loyalty to the impeached President. Among the eleven, it was said, three were feared most by the Palace, as they can give the President a heart attack… Oscar Moreno, Bobby Tanada, and Joker Arroyo.

The Chief Justice, Hon. Hilario Davide, as Presiding Officer of the court, received from the President's defense counsel, a Motion to Quash versus the impeachment complaint on several grounds. The Chief Justice was to rule on this motion, after hearing oral arguments from both sides.

Rep. Joker Arroyo took the cudgels for the side of the prosecution.

On December 7, 2000 the Impeachment Trial begins. Armed with mountains of documents and proof that tend to show the extent of Pres. Estrada's participation in bribery, graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust, the prosecutors individually rose to proclaim that the Senate, sitting as an Impeachment Court, has no other moral choice but to convict. Joker Arroyo, tasked to present the case for Article 2, dropped the opening day bombshell, that would prophetically spell the doom and damnation of the Estrada presidency - the Jose Velarde account.

Perhaps the proverbial crossroad during the Impeachment Trial was the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, Executive Vice President of Equitable/PCIbank on December 22, 2000, a day before the Impeachment Trial adjourns for its holiday break.

Mrs. Ocampo, poised and well educated, confirmed boldly to the Senate and to the country, that Jose Velarde was President Estrada, by virtue of her first hand account of the President signing as Jose Velarde in the investment management contract between the bank and Mr. Velarde. "I was one foot away" when the President signed the papers, she claimed.

How much is too much, and when is enough, enough? The President apparently did not know. Neither did people around him, including his women.

The united front against President Estrada, while clamoring for resignation, has been lured to temporarily halt the offensive, and await the results of a euphemism that is "due process". For several days, witness after witness, emboldened by the growing ranks of the opposition, appeared in the stand, testifying under oath and in no uncertain terms, that Joseph Estrada had committed acts unbecoming of a president.

On January 16, a Tuesday, the prosecution sought the opening of the second envelope containing evidence, postentially more damaging to the President than the first. While millions of Filipinos watched on national TV, Joker Arroyo, again aided by visuals, showed how and why the records of Equitable-PCIBank were relevant and material to the prosecution's case. Joker tangled with the defense lawyers, and senators closely identified with the President, on a matter which seemed to have been better solved by common sense, rather than by, well - gobbledygook.

The matter was eventually put to a vote, and the rest was history. 11-10 …the no's had it. The Senate President resigned…others cried. People in the gallery walked out of the Senate hall, and with fists clenched, joined thousands more in the streets. People Power was resurrected.