WITH the filing of two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, House leaders have stressed that the House of Representatives is constitutionally obligated to take action.
“We have the constitutional duty, and we’re bound by that mandate to act on all impeachment complaints filed with the House,” House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs chairman, declared.
Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman, House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson, while personally hesitant about pursuing the impeachment, acknowledged the mandate Congress must uphold.
“From my personal point of view, I’m not inclined to push for an impeachment process kasi ito rin ang pananawagan sa amin ng Pangulo,” Roman said.
“But from a purely constitutional point of view, bahagi po ito ng aming mandato sa Kongreso. Kung meron hong nag-file ng impeachment complaint, we have no choice but to process this complaint,” Roman added.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. earlier urged his congressional allies to abandon plans for an impeachment complaint against Duterte, arguing that it would not benefit Filipinos and would distract Congress from more pressing national issues.
Despite this, civil society and religious leaders and the Makabayan bloc filed a separate impeachment complaints accusing Duterte of culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.
Acidre described the move as proof of the public’s demand for accountability.
“Siguro nitong paghahain ng impeachment complaint ng mga civil society groups ay isa lamang pagpapatunay na ang taong-bayan mismo ay naghahanap ng accountability sa kanilang mga halal na pinuno, lalung-lalo na sa kasong ito ng Bise Presidente,” he said.
Roman assured the public that the impeachment process would be conducted transparently and in line with the rule of law.
“Rest assured na kung ano mang processing, deliberations, they will be transparent and they will follow to the small letter,” she said.
Roman added: “Lahat ng dapat, what we have to take in mind, for example, the questions of whether it is correct in form and in substance and siyempre papakinggan natin lahat ng panig. Due process will be followed.”
Acidre pointed out that the impeachment filing aligns with the House’s ongoing efforts to uphold accountability.
“Nakita ninyo naman ho sa mga pagdinig ng Kongreso, naging prayoridad naman talaga natin ang paghahanap ng accountability,” he said.
The complaint must be referred to the plenary within 10 session days, after which the justice committee will determine if it has sufficient form and substance to proceed.
“This will be a careful balancing act on the part of the leadership and the part of the House,” Acidre noted.
Despite the challenges, Roman underscored the resolve of Congress to fulfill its constitutional duties.
“Batas lamang po ang paiiralin—pantay-pantay ang lahat,” she stressed.
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