"Why are they presenting these evidence only now?"

...Arroyo apologists like to complain. Neal Cruz handles this question with ease:

In fact, that has been the administration tactic from the very beginning: preventing damaging evidence from being presented. It is infuriating to hear administration congressmen repeat over and over: "Why are they presenting these evidence only now? Why did they not present them during the canvassing of votes by Congress?"

As a matter of fact, the opposition tried mightily, but its motions to show the evidence were met with a series of "Noted" reactions and forgotten, and Ms Arroyo was proclaimed by a captive Congress in the dead of night.

The opposition tried again to show its evidence in the electoral protest of Fernando Poe Jr., but the poor guy died before he could present even one piece of evidence. His widow, Susan Roces, tried again, but the Presidential Electoral Tribunal threw away her petition. The opposition tried again to show its evidence to the House justice committee, but the committee did not even want to hear it. It opted to accept a complaint purposely made weak by a fifth column and hurriedly endorsed by a congressman who has been disowned and expelled by his own party list. Then the justice committee (why is it called "justice"?) nailed the coffin shut by declaring that the complaint filed by Oliver Lozano is not "sufficient in substance."

The opposition will still fight it out in the plenary and try to get the 79 votes needed to send the complaint to the Senate. As of last report, it was only six votes shy of the magic number. Would that the light of the Holy Spirit shine on the consciences of six congressmen and make them add their signatures to the complaint.

He also adds this re the parliamentary form of government na gustong itulak ng mga maka-Arroyo:

The murder of the complaints in the House shows very clearly why a parliamentary form of government would be a disaster for us. Parliament, which would be populated by the same congressmen we have now, would be doing the same thing every day. "Kawawa naman ang mga tao" [The people would suffer]. The lawmakers are supposed to represent the people and they are supposed to obey the wishes of their constituents. Eight out of every 10 Filipinos have already signified that they want Ms Arroyo to resign or to be impeached. Yet the congressmen are disobeying the wishes of the people and protecting her.

The show at the House has all the markings of a De Venecia production. As part of the deal with De Venecia, the President is already forming a Constitutional Commission to change the Constitution-in spite of surveys showing that the people don't want the Constitution changed and don't want a parliamentary system of government.

What is happening now is worse than martial law. It is a dictatorship disguised as democracy.