The Philippine opposition, warming to the idea of impeaching President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said on Monday it was seeking to broaden the complaints against her with help from disgruntled former ministers.
A week before Arroyo gives a critical speech to the nation amid her worst political crisis, the opposition said it planned to widen the scope of its impeachment to include new allegations against her, in addition to that of attempted vote-rigging.
"The impeachment is based upon President Arroyo's four years of governance," said Ronaldo Zamora, an opposition member of the lower house of Congress.
Zamora gave no specific details of the fresh allegations, but said opposition law-makers would discuss possible complaints with some of the 10 cabinet ministers and agency heads who quit on July 8 calling for Arroyo to resign.
Defections by some of Arroyo's allies in Congress, including the influential Liberal Party, have raised opposition hopes of a successful impeachment and conviction of the president after they failed to shake her resolve with street protests in recent weeks.
Arroyo, who is accused of trying to fix the results of last year's elections, appeared on the brink of losing her presidency 10 days ago when cabinet ministers walked out en masse.
Last-minute support from former president Fidel Ramos and a decision by the influential Catholic Church not to join in calls for her resignation won her some breathing space.
A rally by 120,000 Arroyo supporters on Saturday upstaged a protest by her foes earlier in the week, but opponents said plans by her advisers to present Arroyo as a friendlier, more empathetic person would not restore her lost credibility.
"She can smile or dance but people won't believe her any more. It's too little, too late," Senator Sergio Osmena told reporters.
The daughter of a former president, Arroyo is considered aloof and lacking in warmth. Her work ethic is unquestioned but aides say she likes to have a hand in all decisions.
The opposition says it plans to file an amended impeachment case in the lower house of Congress on Thursday, four days before the legislature reconvenes and Arroyo delivers her annual state of the nation address.
After the Liberal Party's defection, analysts say the opposition looks close to getting the one-third of the votes it needs in the 235-member lower house of Congress to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, whose 23 members would then become the jury in a trial.
Two-thirds of the Senate need to go against Arroyo for her to be convicted and effectively sacked.
On paper, Arroyo has the numbers in the Senate to block a conviction but the Liberal Party's defection has raised doubts over how many senators will support her.
"In the Senate, the president is definitely on the defensive," said political analyst Ramon Casiple.
"My own reading there is that the president, or her cabinet, her people ... are agreeing to it as a delaying tactic. They are more concerned with getting back public opinion on their side so that they can have more room to manoeuvre."
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