MANILA, Philippines — With only nine session days left before the Christmas break, lawmakers would have to work on a tight schedule to process the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
This was according to Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, vice chairman of the committee on justice of the House of Representatives, saying they haven’t even received copies of the impeachment complaints filed by Akbayan and civil society leaders and by the Makabayan bloc.
“The timeline will be challenging here if it goes to the committee on justice. The remaining nine session days is very tight. After it is referred to the committee on justice, after that, there will be a determination of its sufficiency in form,” Flores told reporters on Friday.
He said there was no official referral yet from the Office of the Speaker to the committee on justice of the impeachment complaints against Duterte.
“We just recently found out the second impeachment complaint. There was no referral yet. It has not been read before the plenary yet. So, I think that is what they should do first. What I am aware of is that it has been already filed and endorsed by their members,” he said.
Flores explained that in the determination of substance of the impeachment complaint, the committee on justice would have to require the respondent to file her answer within 10 days.
“So that alone is going to eat up a lot of days in the remaining days of the session of the House,” he said.
He noted the Makabayan bloc’s signature campaign for its impeachment complaint – the second filed – on the sole basis of “betrayal of public trust.” He said the bloc may have resorted to a signature campaign in acknowledgment of the limited time left for the impeachment case to proceed.
“I think they are doing that because they are also aware of the time limitations, the number of days remaining where the impeachment complaint that they filed can move,” Flores said.
He said he has not yet been asked for his signature by any member of the bloc comprising militant members of the House.
“I haven’t received any request for signature nor any member of the Makabayan bloc approached me to sign in effect. None of that sort, yet,” Flores said.
“I have to look at the Articles of Impeachment first because I haven’t read the complaint of the Akbayan. In Makabayan’s, I know they mentioned only one ground but I don’t see the complaint yet, also,” he added.
Flores said the 10-day period for the respondent to answer the complaint would include the holidays. “It’s not session days. It just 10 days to file their answer. That includes holidays,” he pointed out.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco earlier said his office would first wait for the filing of a third impeachment complaint before it transmits the first two complaints.
“Not yet (transmitted) because we were told that there are others intending to file. So, we will just have one transmittal,” Velasco said, claiming that other lawmakers had revealed plans to file or endorse new impeachment complaints against Duterte. “So, we are on hold. We’re waiting,” Velasco said.
Constitutional dutyFor House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, the limited time left for lawmakers to act on the impeachment complaints should not discourage them from proceeding with the task, as it is part of their mandate.
“We have the constitutional duty, and we’re bound by that mandate to act on all impeachment complaints filed with the House,” Tingog, who also chairs the committee on overseas workers affairs, said.
Acidre described the filing of impeachment complaints against Duterte – in defiance of President Marcos’ appeal to allies in Congress – as proof of the public’s demand for accountability.
“The filing of the impeachment complaint by the civil society groups is just a proof that the people are looking for accountability from the elected officials, especially in the case of the Vice President,” he said.
Acidre pointed out that the development was in sync with the House’s ongoing efforts to uphold accountability.
“You were witnesses in the investigations conducted in Congress, we prioritize the search for accountability,” he said. “This will be a careful balancing act on the part of the leadership and the part of the House.”
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman said she is not eager to push through with the impeachment proceedings, but acknowledged it’s a mandate Congress should uphold.
“From my personal point of view, I’m not inclined to push for an impeachment process because this is also the call of the President. But from a purely constitutional point of view, this is part of the mandate of Congress,” Roman, committee on women and gender equality chairperson, said.
“When the impeachment is filed, we have no choice but to process this complaint.”
Roman assured the public that the impeachment process would be conducted transparently and in line with the rule of law.
“Rest assured whatever is the processing, deliberations, they will be transparent and they will follow to the letter,” she said.
“In everything, what we have to take in mind, for example, the questions of whether it is correct in form and in substance, of course, we will listen all sides. Due process will be followed,” she maintained.
Despite the challenges, Roman underscored the resolve of Congress to fulfill its constitutional duties. “The law must be followed. Everyone is equal under the law,” Roman said.
Probe affectedSurigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, overall chairman of the quad committee, said the filing of impeachment complaints is likely to affect the investigation of the panel.
In an interview with reporters, Barbers said the committee may have to terminate its hearings on Philippine offshore and gaming operators.
But he said hearings on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and on the war on drugs of the previous administration will continue on Dec.12.
“The impeachment against the Vice President will affect our schedules. We are thinking of terminating our hearing on POGO. We will just focus on the two issues, the EJKs and drugs,” Barbers said.
“I don’t think there is still a need to invite the former president (Duterte) because the 13 hours of our meeting with him in the hearing basically revealed what we want to hear from him,” Barbers said. “A little more than what he revealed or what he admitted in the Senate; so, for me, those are sufficient.”
The quad comm would also be presenting to the plenary its “progress report” on its investigation on EJKs, POGOs and drugs, he said.
Barbers said the quad comm wants to squeeze more information from businessman Mark Taguba and other witnesses.
Barbers said they are still finalizing the list of resource people they would invite to the next hearing.
SenateThe impeachment proceedings might also affect pending key measures at the Senate, according to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.
“In case this pushes through, this will be my first time in my political career that I will be a judge,” Gatchalian said over radio dwIZ yesterday.
“My view is, if this reaches the Senate for trial, a lot of priority measures will face delays or become second priority, because senators will focus on the impeachment trial,” he added.
“If I were a reelectionist, I would focus on campaigning to win the elections instead of attending the impeachment trial. That is what the campaign period is for. So we should look at practical considerations here,” Gatchalian said.
“While the impeachment can give free publicity, it is double-edged. What is important here is to study the case carefully, especially because this is a political process,” he added.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, for his part, vowed to be a legal luminary instead of a politician if and when he sits as an impeachment judge.
“To be a judge is no light matter, even for a lawyer like me. It makes us appreciate the daily work of a judge in court. This is a political process. But I will look more at the law and the evidence,” Pimentel said over radio dwIZ yesterday.
“We are independent from the House. We should not preempt them and instead just relaxcc6 online casino,” Pimentel added. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab
