RP impeachment halted

RP impeachment halted

PHILIPPINES: The Philippines Congress abruptly stopped the impeachment of a Supreme Court chief justice on Tuesday by adjourning the house, giving President Gloria Arroyo two weeks to solve a problem which could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.

Congress went into recess after the house's presiding officer ruled there was no quorum for the vote on impeaching Hilario Davide.

The move gives Davide and Arroyo two weeks to try and convince the House of Representatives to withdraw the impeachment complaint against the Philippines' fifth most senior official and the man fourth in line to the presidential succession.

Nearly a third of the house want Davide impeached and put on trial in the Senate for his refusal to open the judiciary's budget books to Congress. It would take about one-third of the house, or 76 members, for the impeachment to go ahead.

Davide is accused of misusing about 48 million pesos (about US$865,000) from a judiciary fund. If the Senate finds him guilty he would be removed from office. -- AFP