Trillanes says impeachment vs VP Duterte ‘ripe’, necessary

Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV files plunder case against former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go in this file photo taken in July 2024. | PHOTO: Tetch Torres / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte is already ripe and necessary given her behavior according to former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, noting that the second-highest official’s behavior is not fit for someone who can become a president.

In an ambush interview on Wednesday at the Batasang Pambansa complex, Trillanes was asked if the time is now for an impeachment complaint to move against Duterte — given her demeanor and statements, like threats against key government officials.

“Hinog na hinog na, sobra.  Siguro naman, nakikita naman ng mga kababayan natin, lahat no’ng mga dangers, mga red flags, ‘yong unfitness ni Sara Duterte to hold the position of vice president.  And remember, as vice president, she could be president anytime, in cases of emergencies,” Trillanes said.

(It’s really ripe.  Maybe, our fellow Filipinos can see all the dangers, the red flags, and the unfitness of Sara Duterte to hold the position of vice president.)

“Kaya, imagine mo ‘yong asal na nilalabas niya, pinapakita niya, bibigyan mo ng power ng presidency ‘yan?  Dapat kikilabutan ‘yong bawat Pilipino.  Wala ito sa tamang katinuan, ‘yon ang masasabi natin, kaya hinog na hinog na,” he added.

(That’s why, imagine with the behavior she is showing, would you give her the power of the presidency?  Filipinos should be threatened by this.  She is not in the right state of mind, that’s why we say an impeachment is ripe.)

When asked if an impeachment complaint is necessary given that vice presidents can be charged criminally — like what was filed against former vice president Leni Robredo — Trillanes said there is a need to remove Duterte due to alleged psychiatric issues.

“Those are two different things, pwede siyang kasuhan criminally in fact kinakasuhan na siya ngayon.  Pero kahit na kasuhan ka ng criminal cases, still vice president ka pa rin.  So anything that happens to the president, pwede ka pa rin maging presidente,” he said.

(Those are two different things, she can be sued criminally, in fact charges are being filed.  But even if we charge her criminally, she is still the vice president.  So anything that happens to the president, she can still be president.)

“Kailangan, makanggal ito sa pwesto.  Nakita niyo ba?  Sabi ko may ‘topak’ eh.  Alam naman natin, ‘di naman tayo psychiatrist, pero alam natin ‘yong may topak at normal.  Ito hindi ‘to normal,” he added.

(She has to be removed from her post.  Did you see her?  She seems unwell.  We know that, we are not psychiatrists but we know the difference between someone unhinged and a normal person.  This one is not normal.)

The Vice President attracted controversy after visiting Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, her chief-of-staff who was detained at the House premises, as she locked herself inside the office of her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte.

Due to the security problems that came with Duterte staying inside the Batasang Pambansa, the House committee on good government and public accountability decided to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women.

After this, Duterte held a press briefing early Saturday morning, where she badmouthed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.  The Vice President also claimed that she has already tasked someone to assassinate the three in case she gets killed.

READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace 

Duterte’s outburst came after the said House committee continued its investigation of issues involving confidential funds (CFs) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), amid several observations from the Commission on Audit (COA).

Last Monday, it was revealed at the panel’s hearings that the special disbursing officers of OVP and DepEd left the disbursement of CFs to security officers — a move that 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez believes can be tantamount to technical malversation.

READ: Solon: SDO’s move to give up fund release role may lead to malversation

Asude from this, the COA previously handed out a notice of disallowance on P73.2 million of the OVP’s P125-million CF for 2022 — an item which several lawmakers said should not be available in the first place, as the original budget crafted during Robredo’s time did not have this item.

READ: Sara Duterte’s confidential fund spending raises new, more doubts 

Regarding DepEd, there were also questions about the low number of classrooms constructed while Duterte was Education Secretary.  Eventually, it was revealed that the DepEd under Duterte supposedly made it seem that their CFs were used for a youth training program when it was the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local government units that shouldered the expenses.

There are also fears that fictitious personalities — such as a certain Mary Grace Piattos — was used to authenticate acknowledgement receipts (ARs) of OVP’s expenditures, particularly those involving CFs.