Manila's Arroyo faces fresh impeachment charge

MANILA, June 26 (Reuters) Political opponents of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo filed a new impeachment complaint today, attempting to unseat her over allegations of corruption and human rights abuses.

Arroyo survived an impeachment attempt last year and analysts expect the latest charge to fail due to insufficient support in the lower house of Congress, where her allies hold a majority.

Several anti-Arroyo groups, many dressed in peach-coloured shirts, filed the fresh complaint to the House of Representatives after holding an overnight vigil outside the Congress building.

The president is currently in Italy on an official visit and will return to the Philippines on Sunday after travelling to Spain.

''I think she should tell the truth,'' said Corazon Soliman, a former member of Arroyo's cabinet who quit in July and called on her to resign over alleged vote-rigging in the May 2004 election.

''She should come out. Not foil the impeachment. She wants her day in court. So she must face this impeachment court. And tell the truth to the people.'' Retired general Eduardo Ermita, Arroyo's executive secretary, dismissed the filing of the impeachment complaint as a ''political gimmick'' to embarrass the president, who met with Pope Benedict XVI today.

''I hope they would be reasonable enough to end the bickering so our country could move forward,'' said Ermita, adding Arroyo's lawyers were ready to defend the president.

Arroyo has not been able to shake accusations she stole the 2004 vote and that some of her family members benefited from illegal gambling, an allegation that toppled former President Joseph Estrada in 2001.

But the political temperature has cooled since February when the government said it had uncovered an alleged coup plot by renegade soldiers, communist rebels and political foes, triggering a week of emergency rule.

Anti-Arroyo groups need 79 votes from the 235-member House of Representatives to impeach the president. Last year, only 51 lawmakers voted to impeach Arroyo, who has denied the corruption allegations.

REUTERS SHR ND1536