Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Sen. Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — “Impeaching a President is not a crime,” opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said Friday.
The senator was responding to President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to jail those who would file an impeachment case against him over his alleged failure to protect the country’s territory.
“I-impeach ako? Kulungin ko silang lahat. Subukan niyo. Try to take it, do it, and I will do it,” Duterte said Thursday.
READ: Duterte on impeachment proponents: I’ll jail them all
But Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said he is not taking the President’s threat seriously.
“The reality is the President has a super majority at the House of Representatives. Any impeachment complaint is doomed to fail,” Recto said in a separate text message.
Then why issue such threat when any impeachment bid is doomed to fail anyway?
“I don’t take it seriously. It’s the President’s style,” Recto added.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier said, “The President knows he can’t do it and he won’t do it.”
“His problem is when one third of the members of the HOR (House of Representatives) feel more challenged than afraid of his threat. A bigger problem is when 16 senators are convinced by the evidence presented during the trial,” Lacson said in another text message.
Any impeachment bid must get the support of one-third of House members before it is transmitted to the Senate for trial.
The same number is also needed in 24-member Senate to remove an impeachable official like the President.
READ: Lacson: Duterte may face bigger problems with jail threat vs impeachment backers
(Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)