MANILA, February 6 ------ More than 200 members of the House of Representatives signed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte after more than a month of seeming inaction on complaints filed against her by members of civil society. At the House plenary session on Wednesday, 215 of 306 House members supported a fresh complaint against Duterte, whose spending of confidential funds has come under scrutiny. This was more than the 102 that was needed for a complaint to be transmitted to the Senate for trial.
In a statement from the House Secretary General, it explained that the impeachment complaint approved by lawmakers cited "six major allegations" against Duterte:
1. Conspiracy to Assassinate President Marcos, First Lady, and Speaker Romualdez
2. Malversation of P612.5 Million in Confidential Funds
3. Bribery and Corruption in DepEd
4. Unexplained Wealth and Failure to Disclose Assets
5. Involvement in Extrajudicial Killings (Davao Death Squad)
6. Destabilization, Insurrection, and Public Disorder
“This is about upholding the Constitution and ensuring that no public official, regardless of their position, is above the law,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said after the vote. Duterte has denied allegations against her and has blamed the scrutiny of her offices' spending on politics.
The President's son, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos, was first to sign the said complaint. This, despite his father's previous pronouncements against the impeachment. Also among the signatories are Senator Raffy Tulfo's son Ralph and wife Jocelyn, as well as Senator Francis Tolentino's niece, Aniela Tolentino. House Speaker Martin Romualdez was last to sign the complaint.
Among the 91 members of the lower chamber who did not sign the impeachment complaint are Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo, the three Revillas, and Brother Eddie Villanueva. In his closing statement during the House of Representatives' last session day before the campaign and election season, House Speaker Romualdez assured his colleagues that they have "exercised their oversight functions with resolve" and held accountable those who "betray the public trust." "Isinulong natin ang interes ng sambayanan laban sa mga pwersa ng kadiliman. We are here to serve the people, stand for what is just and ensure that no one is beyond the reach of the law," he said.
In accordance with Section 16, Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedures in Impeachment Proceedings, the following will serve as prosecutors in the impeachment trial:
• Rep. Gerville Luistro
• Rep. Romeo Acop
• Rep. Rodge Gutierrez
• Rep. Joel Chua
• Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon
• Rep. Loreto Acharon
• Rep. Marcelino Libanan
• Rep. Arnan Panaligan
• Rep. Isabelle Maria Zamora
• Rep. Lorenz Defensor
• Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores
Duterte will remain in office as the complaint is forwarded to the Senate, which will sit as an impeachment court if the case proceeds to trial. "Matatag ang ebidensya. Ang ebidensya mismo nanggaling sa respondent… These are very grave and serious offenses… It's a violation of the Constitution… I am confident that we have a strong case for impeachment," said Defensor. "Galing 'yan sa investigation mismo ng House of Representatives."
The Senate president — Sen. Francis Escudero in this case — sits as presiding officer impeachment trials except when the President is on trial. In that case, the chief justice of the Supreme Court would preside over proceedings. Under the 1987 Constitution, a verified complaint of resolution of impeachment will constitute the Articles of Impeachment if filed by at least a third of all House members. Under the Senate's Rules on Impeachment Proceedings, the Senate will set the date and time for the consideration of the Article of Impeachment once these are presented to the upper chamber. "Unless the Senate provides otherwise, it shall continue in session from day to day (except Saturdays, Sundays, and nonworking holidays) until final judgment shall be rendered, and so much longer as may, in its judgment, be necessary," the rules also read.
The rules also compel senators to observe "political neutrality" during the proceedings, meaning they will have to try the case "without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference." The fourth complaint comes more than a month since an earlier flurry of filing. The first complaint, endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, sought Duterte's impeachment for allegedly failing to account for P125 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President in 2022 and for leaving behind P7 billion in unliquidated cash advances from her tenure as education secretary.
A second complaint, which the Makabayan bloc at the House is backing, is centered on betrayal of public trust over the confidential funds. Priests and members of civil society groups filed a third complaint against Duterte in December "primarily based on how the Office of the Vice President, how the sitting Vice President of the public disbursed millions of pesos in 11 days without proper documentation," lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan said on behalf of the complainants. That complaint was endorsed by Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada.
The complaint comes months before the May elections, historically seen as a referendum on the sitting President and when shifts in allegiance are more likely than earlier in the six-year presidential term of office. The first three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte have been archived. The Vice President has yet to comment on the lower chamber’s move to impeach her. But her brother, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte said he is "appalled" and "enraged" by what he called "desperate" and "politically motivated" efforts to "railroad" the impeachment.
The Davao City solon also issued this warning. "This administration is treading on dangerous ground. If they were unfazed by the over one million rallying supporters of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, then they are blindly marching toward an even greater storm—one that could shake the very foundation of their rule," Rep. Duterte said. "The Filipino people will not sit idly by as this government undermines democracy and silences opposition through fabricated accusations. If the Marcos administration thinks it can push this sham impeachment without consequence, they are gravely mistaken," he added.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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