# Efforts to impeach Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

* This article is part of a series aboutGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Early life
Family
14th President of the Philippines
Policies
Foreign policy
International trips
Iraq War
Visiting forces agreement
US designation of the Philippines as a major non-NATO ally
ASEAN Charter
First term
EDSA II
1st inauguration
Presidency
EDSA III
Operation Freedom Eagle
Oakwood mutiny
Fertilizer Fund scam
Second term
2004 Philippine presidential election
Hello Garci scandal
2nd inauguration
Hacienda Luisita massacre
2004 SuperFerry 14 bombing
Executive Order 464
2006 state of emergency
East Asian Energy Security
Manila Peninsula siege
Batasang Pambansa bombing
Euro Generals scandal
NBN/ZTE scandal
K–12 implementation process
2009 flu pandemic in the Philippines
Ketsana (Ondoy)
Maguindanao massacre
Senator of the Philippines
Philippine Senator
Vice President of the Philippines
1998 Philippine general election
DSWD secretary
Post-Presidency
Member of the House of Representatives from Pampanga's 2nd district
2010 House of Representatives election, 2013, 2016
2011 hospital arrest
2016 Supreme Court acquittal
Deputy Speaker
Speaker :
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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. The 2005 complaint was based around cheating in the 2004 Philippine presidential election. It was rejected by House members and was also condemned by them. A debate lasted for 23 hours, and a protest culminated after the debate, but Arroyo didn't resign. In 2006, a complaint was created but avoided by Arroyo. In 2007, two complaints were dismissed. In 2008, two other complaints were dismissed. Other than her complaints, she encountered heavy protests from the Hello Garci scandal. The Oplan HACKLE coup d'état attempt and her 2006 state of emergency.

## Complaints
### 2005 Complaint

   I'm distressed that we will end up this way by killing the one impeachment complaint that contains a truly substantial case and its evidence, killing a complaint that the president should answer and the public wants her to answer.
In 2005, a complaint was filed 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. It was dismissed by House members, who relapsed that "it didn't stand a chance". Another politician said that the complaint was blocking relief efforts for the 2005 Manila Bay bombings. 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. Corazon Aquino, who participated in former protests, tried to ask Arroyo to resign, but the plan failed.

### 2006 Complaint

Opposition groups planned a complaint in 2006, but the complaint was blocked by the 2005 Complaint. When it was going to be filed, it was blocked by the lawyers of Arroyo. On July 24, it was officially filed by the "Erap 5" and co-handled by 30 members from the Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice. The complainants wore blue shirts with the phrase "Fight for Justice" to further support the complaint.

### 2007 Complaints

On October 5, Lawmaker Roel Pulido presented a three-page complaint to the Philippine House of Representatives. 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. On 10 p.m. of October 11, the complaint moved to the House Committee of Justice. That same day, Arroyo discussed the complaint with lawmakers from the House of Representatives. On November 12, another complaint was created 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 in 7:40 PHT on October 14, beating a separate group of lawyers by 40 minutes. The complaint was filed for the Filipinos and was verified. It was filed for her alleged betrayal of public trust, violation of the constitution, bribery, graft, and other crimes. It 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, with Former President Joseph Estrada accepting 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, adding that it was "insufficient in substance."

## Other attempts
### Hello, Garci scandal protests

On June 11, 2005, because of the Hello Garci scandal, protests started and grew across the country. The next day, protests lessened to celebrate Philippine Independence Day. On June 14, people who sympathized for whistleblower Samuel Ong started protests 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. On July 1, protests started again, this time, stronger. The protesters asked for international aid to restart the elections. On July 4, protesters continued to protest, with some universities initiating a desire for Arroyo to resign. On July 7, Arroyo rejected to resign, wanting her cabinet to resign instead so she can have a "free hand to reorganize". Eventually, eight cabinet members resigned. Still, the protests continued. On July 13, 30,000 people protested in Makati. On July 16, pro-Arroyo protesters went to the Quirino Grandstand to support Arroyo. On August 30, protests started again to put Arroyo to trial. On September 7, protests started again in multiple places in Manila, like EDSA. On February 4, 2006, large protests started again in EDSA, with an alleged coup attempt.

### Oplan HACKLE and Coup d'état attempt

On February 24, 2006, two executives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were arrested. They were being detained for being leaders of "misguided elements who were planning to join a march" against Arroyo. Lieutenant-General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. stated that they allegedly "squashed" a coup. 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. On February 22, Arroyo started a 7-day state of emergency. The state of emergency declaration further increased protests about her. On July 19, 2006, a Magdalo Group soldier confirmed the existence of the plan, which was allegedly put in meetings for 13 months.