Words: Jaemark Tordecilla
Illustration: Frantz Arno Salvador
July 27, 2009 | 8776 views
Manny Villar's prayer without amen
A key event that led to Estrada's ouster was the transmittal of teh articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives to the Senate. Then-Speaker of the House, Manny Villar, was a known ally of the President. It seemed that the House minority did not have the numbers to impeach Estrada.
But near the end of 2000, public opinion started to turn against Estrada. Villar and several other congressmen previously identified with Estrada withdrew their support, and by 13 November 2000, the opposition had enough votes to send the articles of impeachment to the senate.
Villar began that afternoon's session with the customary prayer. But instead of ending with amen, Villar proceeded to order the House secretary-general "to immediately transmit to the Senate the Impeachment complaint constituting the articles of Impeachment."
An Estrada supporter, Harlin Abayon, figured out what was going on, tried to stop the proceedings, but was shouted down by the gallery. Villar got away with what he did because the rest of the congressmen did what most people usually do during speeches: They were not listening.
When the dust cleared, Villar was unseated as House Speaker by the administration congressmen. With his intrepid act, however, he stamped himself a ticket to the Senate, getting elected in 2001. He was elected by his colleagues as Senate President in 2006, but was replaced in 2008 amind corruption allegations.
