Groups push for action on impeach raps vs Duterte as elections near
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro meets with groups and individuals who filed impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. INQUIRER.net / Faith Argosino
MANILA, Philippines — Groups and individuals who filed impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte believe now is the perfect time for Congress to act on the complaints amid the ongoing preparations for the upcoming polls.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) chairperson Teddy Casiño said they are open to the possibility that the impeachment trial could reach the 20th Congress, noting that this would likely mean the process would be discussed during the election period.
Last December 4, Bayan led 70 representatives of progressive groups in filing the second impeachment complaint against Duterte.
READ: Meeting of VP Duterte impeachment movers in the works – Castro
Article continues after this advertisement“We will have to shift the campaign to support the pro-impeachment senators; this is what was mentioned earlier—that this is, in fact, perfect timing because it will be a key issue during the election,” Casiño said in a mix of Filipino and English in an interview after meeting with ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro.
Article continues after this advertisement“And we will encourage the public to vote for senators who will impeach Sara Duterte,” he added.
The Bayan chair also revealed that groups will launch a series of mobilizations pushing Congress to act on the three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte.
“We want this to reach the Senate before February 7 so that the trial can begin in the upper chamber,” Casiño said.
He added that the groups will issue a joint statement next week and conduct a press conference with complainants and endorsers of the impeachment complaints.
“The complainants are united in calling on Congress to take action on our impeachment complaints as soon as possible and consolidate them, whether they will support just one during the allotted session days until February 7,” Casiño said.
“We want Speaker Martin Romualdez to send our complaints to the committee on justice so that they can be discussed and decided on. Next week, we will ramp up our efforts to have Congress take action on this,” he added.
Casiño said the groups will conduct their mobilization efforts on January 18, 25, 27, and 31.
The first impeachment complaint against the vice president was crafted by civil society organizations and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña last December 2.
On the other hand, the third complaint was filed by religious groups and a group of lawyers last December 19.
Duterte’s office is currently being investigated by the House committee on good government and public accountability due to the alleged misuse of confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
