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A timely reminder amid the pandemic

A timely reminder amid the pandemic

Arnold Almacen,

Iloilo City Mayor’s Office

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Updated Dec 24, 2020 03:47 PM PHT

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A timely reminder amid the pandemic

Members of the Baysulangpu Society put finishing touches on a mural along Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue in Mandurriao District, Iloilo City on Thursday. The 100-meter mural shows historic landmarks and festivals in Iloilo City as well as a tribute to all frontliners.

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Not enough 'present support' for impeachment complaint vs VP Sara Duterte, says House SecGen

Not enough 'present support' for impeachment complaint vs VP Sara Duterte, says House SecGen

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

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Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News QUEZON CITY  — The waiting game is still on for the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, since the votes received by the first three verified complaints remain too few to win at the House plenary, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said Saturday.

In an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo, he said that he has yet to transfer the filed impeachment cases to the Office of the House Speaker since the preparing endorsers of the fourth impeachment complaint had requested for some time.

"As I've said earlier po 'no, naghihintay po kami doon sa fourth complaint na tinatawag or consolidated complaint... Nakiusap po kasi sa 'kin itong mga House members e. Hintayin lang sila kasi alam ninyo naman ang dahilan kung gagamitin 'tong usual process, wala ng panahon para mag-prosper ito sa House of Representatives at trial sa Senado," he said.

Asked if it is necessary to submit the complaints in one go instead of transmitting the initial verified cases first, the Sec Gen expressed his belief that the support gathered by the first complaints weren't enough.

"Wala hong restrictions naman sa fourth complaint. Ang magiging problema lang kasi kapag finile na itong tatlo, wala ng iee-entertain na complaint, dire-diretso na kasi 'yan so kung wala ho silang makukuhang supporter no — anim na congressman lang po ang nakuha nila... Kapag 'yan ay dumaan sa Committee on Justice, assuming mabilis ang proseso doon, kailangan po one third or simple majority kapag sinalang na po 'yan sa floor," he explained.

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"With the present support na anim po, wala hong mangyayari diyan. Even sa Committee on Justice po, bago po 'yan makalusot kailangan po 'yung simple majority ng members po... Medyo mahirap po makuha 'yung voting ng House members in both the plenary and Committee on Justice," he continued.

However, he is not sure if the waiting time for the fourth complaint could just be a delaying tactic so the case won't proceed.

"Hindi ko po matatanong ang kanilang motibo, itong mga nakikiusap sa 'kin. Basta sinabi naman nila na kapag sinunod natin itong regular process, given the very tight timeframe nitong dadaanang proseso nito, hindi ho magpo-proseso po ito. Masasayang lang 'yung pagod nila," he said.

Velasco is uncertain if a consolidated complaint can still be processed given the tight timeline before the session break.

"Ang mahirap po kahit abutan naman ng session break po eh, mukhang mahihirapan po kung dadaan po sa Committee on Justice pa. At pagbibigyan pa ng panahon 'yung kabilang party para sagutin 'yung mga allegations," Velasco said.

Once the verified impeachment complaints are transmitted to Speaker, it will take 10 days before it can be submitted to plenary and then to Committee on Rules. Once it passes, it will go directly to Committee on Justice to verify if the complaints are sufficient in substance and form.

Velasco noted that the complaints must gain 154 of the 308 votes of House members to get the majority vote at the plenary, while 16 of the 30 votes of Committee on Justice members.

LAWMAKERS' COLDNESS TO IMPEACHMENT MAY BE DUE TO UPCOMING ELECTION

Even after the impeachment efforts received some support following the House Quad Comm hearings on Duterte's confidential fund use, supposed "kill plot" that was once stated against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez "in case she was killed first", and the Social Weather Stations survey that showed most Filipinos favor the ouster  — some congressmen still have grown cold towards voting for the complaints.

"Inamin naman po nila from the original endorsers nitong 3 complaints, wala pa ho silang nare-recruit na additional endorser," Velasco said.

He believes some House members' lack of interest may be due to election.

"Palagay ko ang nasa isip ng mga congressman, mag-e-eleksyon na kasi... It's just a few months (so) I'm sure everybody in Congress is starting to prepare for official campaign of their re-election bids or successors," he explained.

He said most officials would use their time for campaigning.

Velasco also thinks the House members are mulling if the complaints would even prosper before the session break.

"Kanila ring iniisip kung makakapasa ito sa House of Representatives plenary, then Committee on Justice. Kung ito'y mamamatay lang... Wala na po, wala na mangyayari. So sa tingin nila, given the short timeframe, second week of the session now, nine session day na lang natitira hanggang February 5, February 7. Mage-eend session na 'to by February 5," he said.

Congress will adjourn on February 7 and will resume on June 2.

Sec Gen stated that if it fails to get the majority of plenary or the Committee on Justice, filing another impeachment case would require another year.

"'Yun po ang ating nasa rules 'no na may 1 year ban on any impeachment complaint against the same official," he said.

This, while Duterte has recently expressed sentiment about "seriously considering" a 2028 presidential bid, which Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin considered "too premature" yet added that it was her privilege to make such declaration.

Palace on Thursday meantime reaffirmed that Marcos Jr. is still not supporting calls to impeach Duterte, which is contrary to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile view on the matter. 

Enrile fears that the Philippines may suffer a “very detrimental precedent” if it follows the logic of the massive rally done by Iglesia Ni Cristo last week which was explicitly quoting Marcos Jr's stance against the Duterte ouster. He questioned if the country is prepared to "discard or sacrifice the value of rule of law for a person or group of persons".

DETERMINED COMPLAINANTS

ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro meanwhile faced ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Friday, stating she still believes the impeachment case against Duterte can proceed if House members "will just take it seriously".

“Malakas pa rin ang aking loob na matutuloy ang impeachment complaint laban kay Sara Duterte despite kahit na 'yung pronouncement at saka 'yung rally ng isang, isang sekta. Tingin ko naman mas marami 'yung ating mga mamamayan na nagtutulak talaga ng impeachment,” she said. 

“Puwede pa eh kung talagang seseryosohin itong impeachment at talagang 'yung ating mga kasamahan sa House of Representatives ay talagang ipu-push ito at dapat makinig sila sa kanilang mga constituents,” she added. 

Akbayan Party List Rep. Percival Cendaña, who endorsed the first impeachment complaint, earlier persuaded the lawmakers not to heed to their fears.

“Ang panawagan natin sa leadership ng House of Representatives, huwag magpadala sa takot, bunga ng mga pressure na narinig nitong mga nakaraang panahon... Sundin natin ang ating moral obligation and constitutional duty,” he stressed.

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