HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon of Ako Bicol Party-list asserted that the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is not about political rivalry or popularity but about upholding accountability for alleged serious violations of the law that directly impact the Filipino people.
“Surveys may change, but the facts remain. This impeachment is about corruption, abuse of power, and the betrayal of public trust. The charges against VP Duterte are not just legal issues—they affect every ordinary Filipino who works hard and pays taxes, only to see their money misused,” Bongalon, a member of the 11-man House prosecution panel, said.
Among the key charges against VP Duterte are:
• Threats to assassinate President Ferdinand R. Marcos, First Lady Liza A. Marcos, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, which she later confirmed in a media interview. A Vice President making violent threats against the country’s leaders is a grave offense that undermines national stability and public safety.
• Alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, including ₱125 million spent in just 11 days, with fabricated names used in liquidation reports.
• Why this matters: These are funds that could have gone to essential services—healthcare, education, and job creation. Instead, they were spent in secrecy, with no proper accounting.
• Bribery and corruption in DepEd, where officials admitted to receiving cash gifts linked to VP Duterte.
• Why this matters: Every peso lost to corruption means fewer resources for schoolchildren, teachers, and classrooms.
• Unexplained wealth and failure to declare assets, showing that her government salary does not justify her growing fortune.
• Why this matters: Ordinary Filipinos work hard to earn a living and pay taxes honestly. Why should a public official be allowed to enrich themselves at the people’s expense?
• Ordering extrajudicial killings under Oplan Tokhang in Davao City, showing a pattern of lawless violence and abuse of power.
• Why this matters: No one should live in fear of being executed without due process. A leader who disregards human rights endangers every Filipino.
• Inciting sedition and rebellion against the Marcos administration, directly challenging the country’s stability and governance.
“These offenses are not just violations of the law—they are direct attacks on the Filipino people,” Bongalon stressed.
The House leader explained that impeachment is a constitutional safeguard to remove officials who abuse their power.
“Ordinary Filipinos work hard, pay taxes, and follow the law. Why should the second-highest official in the land be exempt from accountability? When leaders steal public funds, it’s the people who suffer—through higher prices, fewer jobs, and a struggling economy.”
If convicted in the Senate impeachment trial, VP Duterte will be removed from office and permanently barred from holding any government position.
“This is not just about one person—it’s about ensuring that public officials serve the people, not themselves. This is about justice, fairness, and protecting the integrity of our government. No official, no matter how powerful, is above the law,” Bongalon said.
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