MANILA, Sept 6: A relieved President Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday urged the Philippine people to rally behind her as the legislature killed off an opposition attempt to impeach her for election fraud, ending a three-month crisis which has paralyzed her government.

After a marathon overnight session, 158 lawmakers in the 236-seat House of Representatives voted to ratify the House justice committee’s decision last week to reject three separate impeachment complaints.

However the opposition, which mustered just 51 votes, immediately warned they may challenge the legality of the vote in the Supreme Court.

“We are very sad. The impeachment move in Congress is dead and buried. Taking the case to the Supreme Court is an option, but pressure should be kept up on Arroyo,” opposition legislator Teodoro Casino said. “But whether or not it goes there, the public must be involved,” he said.—AFP