Makabayan willing to work with Akbayan on VP Duterte’s impeachment

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have expressed willingness to work with the Akbayan party-list toward removing Vice President Sara Duterte from office after both groups endorsed separate impeachment complaints against her.

In a press briefing before the second impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Makabayan lawmakers were asked if they could work with Akbayan even if they had differences in the past.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said that while Makabayan and Akbayan have ideological differences, they have worked together for advocacies.

“Of course, this is a common topic, a common discussion; we would not talk about our ideological views because these are really different. But if we have similar discussion points, we usually stand together,” she said.

“For example, even during street protests, we are together. So if ever — because this process is not only for Akbayan or Makabayan — this is a process that 300 lawmakers would do, so this is not a discussion of whether we are from Akbayan or Makabayan,” she explained.

Former ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said impeachment is a process requiring a one-third vote of all House members — in this case, 103 out of 307 lawmakers — so complaint filers need all the help they can get.

“Impeachment is a political process that requires numbers, so obviously for the impeachment complaint to be successful, we need to work together, to hold the one we want to be impeached accountable,” he added.

Last Monday, Dec. 2, 16 representatives of civil society organizations filed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, due to the following grounds:

• Culpable violation of the constitution
• graft and corruption
• bribery
• betrayal of public trust
• other high crimes

READ: First impeachment complaint vs VP Sara filed at House

READ: After impeachment rap filed vs VP Duterte, what’s next?

The complaint was endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel endorsed the second impeachment complaint filed by progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

READ: VP Sara Duterte faces 2nd impeachment rap

While Akbayan and the Makabayan bloc have been identified as left-wing organizations, they share a bitter history, as both have been critical of each other.

When former President Benigno Aquino III was in office, Anakbayan — a party-list group that was part of the Makabayan bloc — asked why Akbayan should remain a party-list organization when most of its members were part of the administration already, and was therefore not representing the marginalized.

The word war culminated in a scuffle in October 2012, after five members of Anakbayan staged a rally at the Akbayan press conference in Manila.

During the briefing, as Akbayan members were explaining why the party-list should not be disqualified, Anakbayan members said Akbayan is a fake party-list.

READ: Anakbayan members stage rally at Akbayan press conference, engage in word war

In 2021, Akbayan challenged the Makabayan bloc to condemn all killings done by communist rebels, including supposed atrocities committed by the New People’s Army (NPA), instead of being selective in their statements.

Akbayan, which claims to be the only leftist party-list that does not agree with the NPA’s principles, said this after Makabayan lawmakers condemned the rebels for using anti-personnel landmines which killed Far Eastern University football standout Kieth Absalon and his cousin in Masbate City.

Then-Akbayan spokesperson RJ Naguit said there was a long list of atrocities committed by the NPA which deserves condemnation too.

READ: Akbayan tells Makabayan: Don’t be selective in condemning NPA atrocities