We view the decision of the House of Representatives to kill the impeachment against President Arroyo as a repeat of the ratification of her victory in the last elections and a manifestation of trust and confidence by the representatives of the Filipino people in Congress on their Chief Executive.

Our watcher in Metro Manila sent in the following narration of final events (with my annotations), which led to the defeat of the three-month impeachment initiative.

“As expected, the impeachment complaint was junked in the plenary session of Congress which started at 4 p.m. of Monday (Sept. 5) and ended at almost 4 p.m. of Tuesday (Sept. 6).

“It was a 24-hour marathon session!

“The opposition got only 51 votes (out of 215, with six abstentions)! Earlier, they were bragging that they needed only six votes to complete the 79 needed to send the impeachment directly to the Senate...(Call it boyish bragging of the boys in Congress).

“Meanwhile, the rally today led by Cory Aquino and Susan Roces did not harness as many people as hoped for by the protesters. (The police said there were 10,000 people. Those were whom the demonstrators referred to each time they shouted they were seeking ‘truth’ on behalf of the Filipino people; 10,000 of 83 million Filipinos).

“The ex-future “People Power 4” went kaput. The Cory magic is totally lost. Sayang, hindi niya ginamit intelligently. (Say bye-bye to Tita Cory mystique. I guess the former president’s charm has already come and gone. Finally, a bit of advice to Tita Cory, she should not again allow photographers or TV cameras to take pictures of her standing or walking beside Susan Roces. The resulting pictures are so confusing. Although, to me, she is beginning to look like Susan Roces).

“The people got wiser and more intelligent. Almost every Filipino was glued to the TV (ANC cable news of ABS-CBN) and radio watching/listening on what the congressmen were saying. (I have always believed that Filipinos are wise and intelligent.)

“There was the privilege hour (actually more than five hours) whereby the opposition politicians attacked and maligned GMA and the anti-impeachment congressmen. (Good outlet for failure.)

“Thanks to the three minutes given to each congressman to explain his or her vote; the people got to know the advantages and disadvantages of going through an impeachment proceeding. The voting started at 4 a.m. of Tuesday.

“Bistado na rin ng tao ang kalibre ng mga politico.

“Sana tapos na ang politicking; sana by Sept. 19 sa pagbalik nila sa trabaho (on recess na ang Congress), the congressmen will sit down and finally do their homework.

“Meanwhile, I hope GMA will be magnanimous in victory; she should also do her homework, tackle the job and bring back the Philippines to where it was in 1960s. (That will be a big step backward, my friend.)

“The opposition was saying that Garcillano (of the wiretapping controversy) is in New Jersey!” (I have not seen him. I’ll ask Ador Equipado. Baka itinatago ni Ador si Garci somewhere in New Jersey. Kabayan sila from Mindanao. Joke only.)

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Last week, Pope Benedict XVI told Catholics to have more babies “for the good of society.”

My interpretation of the Pope’s message is that married couples should engage in marital act more often and try to pro-create and have bigger families. Husbands, this is your chance. Wives, heed the Pope. Like my mayor, the Pope means what he says.

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If you haven’t sent your help yet to the victims of Katrina in the Gulf States of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, take out your plastic cards now and go to www.redcross.org

It is nice to note that many Filipino-American organizations, like Luz Sapin Micabalo’s Philippine American Charity Foundation in Las Vegas, have already started their respective campaigns for donation to Katrina victims.

In fact, Philippine ambassador to the U.S. Albert del Rosario has started a campaign calling Filipinos in the U.S. to donate money, payable to the American Red Cross, for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as all Philippine Consulates throughout the United States have been authorized by Del Rosario to receive donations, which should be made payable, to repeat, to the American Red Cross.

The ambassador is also mobilizing the Filipino-American doctors and nurses in the midwest so they could render volunteer services in the hurricane-affected states.

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Deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the late Ferdie Pacis of Union, N.J., who passed away last Aug. 27. To his wife, Lorna and daughter Tricia, we offer our deepest sympathy.