A MEMBER of the Young Guns bloc in the House of Representatives on Tuesday said the assassination threats made by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Martin G. Romualdez are ground to remove her from office through the impeachment process.
“Ang mga binitawang mga salita ng ating Bise Presidente, tingin ko impeachable offense,” House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun, who chairs the House Bases Conversion Committee, told a news conference.
However, he said House members have not discussed the matter of impeaching the Vice President because they are busy with other work.
“Pero kung tatanungin niyo rin ba ako kung napag-uusapan ba ito sa Kongreso, eh hindi pa namin ito napag-uusapan. Dahil abalang-abala din kaming lahat sa pag-attend ng meeting. At marami din kaming mga batas, mga ordinansa, mga panukalang batas na kailangan ayusin, lalong-lalo na naghahabol din kami dahil malapit na nga yung break,” he said.
Khonghun’s colleagues said they are preoccupied with inquiries into her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds received by her office and the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2022 and 2023 when she was education secretary.
“Sa ngayon wala pa naman kaming napag-uusapan tungkol dyan. Basta kami po tinutuloy pa lamang po namin itong trabaho, kung anu po yung aming maa-unravel dito po sa committee hearing na to,” said Manila Rep. Joel Chua, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
“At the end of the day, ito ay pag-uusapan ng lahat ng mga miyembro ng committee. Hindi ito magiging decision ng isa. At the end of the day collegial body ang mag-decide kung ano ang magiging laman or konteksto ng aming committee report,” he said.
Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said they would try to wrap up the inquiries and submit reports before the Christmas recess.
“Ang goal namin dito sa Committee on Good Government saka sa Quad Comm, siyempre ang goal namin matapos na iyong hearings at investigation para ‘yung policy recommendations, bagong batas, amendments at possible findings natin ma-submit sa mga kaukulang ahensya.Iyan ang number one priority ng committees,” he said.
Ortega said it was just normal for House members to defend Speaker Romualdez and their institution from the attacks of Vice President Duterte.
“Normal po siguro na reaction ng House members iyun under the leadership of Speaker Martin. Siyempre po kami po ‘yung direktang binibira din nila sa HOR. So kaya kami nandito dahil pinagtatanggol namin itong bahay namin, itong HOR,” he said.
He said the solidarity shown by House members amid the assault from the Vice President boosted their morale.
Assistant Majority Leader and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon said House members would not want Speaker Romualdez to be threatened.
“Bilang isang miyembro po ng HOR ay hindi naman natin gugustuhin na iyung ating leader though the House Speaker ay pagbabantaan po ang kanyang buhay. Remember, yung opisyal po na nagpahayag, actual death threats is the second highest public official of the land and the threats was directed to the President, the First Lady, as well as the House Speaker,” he said.
“So alangan naman hindi ho kami mag-react duon sa naging pahayag. Pagbabanta na po yun sa buhay and yung mga ganun po ay wala hong puwang yun sa ating pamahalaaan…Remember VP po siya and isa po siyang abogada. Alam niya po yung mga consequences when we uttered the statements,” he said.
Khonghun said it saddened him and his colleagues that there is a threat on Speaker Romualdez.
“Nakita naman natin kung gaano kasipag magtrabaho ang ating Speaker. Nakita naman natin kung gaano kasipag magtrabaho ang Kongreso ngayon. Meron tayong Quad Comm na nagtratrabaho kahit na break. Ngayon sinimulan na yung Quinta Comm at dirdiretso yung ating mga committee hearing sa pagbabalangkas ng batas,” he said.
“So, dito nakikita ‘yung liderato ng ating napakasipag at pinakamagaling na Speaker, si Speaker Martin Romualdez. So nakakalungkot na merong mga ganitong klaseng pagbabanta. Nakakalungkot na meron ganitong klaseng, sa buhay ng ating Presidente, sa buhay ng ating First Lady, sa buhay ng ating Speaker, so natural lamang na ang Kongreso ay magsasama-sama upang ikondena yung ganitong klaseng mga gawain,” he said.
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