Marcos on JPE's impeachment view: He's right but it's problematic

Marcos on Enrile’s impeachment view: ‘He’s right’ but ‘it’s problematic’

By: - Reporter / @luisacabatoINQ
/ 12:53 PM January 17, 2025

Ferdinand Marcos —PNA PHOTO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — PNA photo

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintained that now is not the right time for impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, particularly as the country is approaching the election period.

In an ambush interview in Leyte on Friday, Marcos was asked for a comment on Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile’s remarks.

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Enrile earlier warned that Filipinos could face a “very detrimental precedent” if the logic implied in the Iglesia ni Cristo’s (INC) National Rally for Peace is followed.

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READ: Marcos stance on Duterte impeachment ‘unchanged’ amid Enrile’s remarks

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The religious group organized the rally to express support for Marcos’ rejection of impeachment efforts against Duterte.

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“JPE (Enrile’s initials) is one of our best legal thinkers in our country. He is right. There will be a consequence. There will be a precedence. [It’s] very problematic,” he admitted to reporters.

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“But I still think even if Congress is mandated, the House and Senate do not have a choice once these impeachment complaints are filed,” he said.

“I don’t think now is the time to do that. And besides, as a practical matter, we are entering the campaign period,” the chief executive pointed out.

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“There will be no congressmen, no senators—they will be campaigning, and we won’t be able to form a quorum,” he noted.

In his warning, Enrile questioned whether or not the INC can override constitutional processes, asking, “Can the INC, with all its members, amend the Constitution or suspend any of its provisions?”

“Are we prepared to discard or sacrifice the value of the rule of law for a person or a group of persons?” he also asked.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in response to Enrile’s statement, emphasized Marcos’ commitment to fostering open discussion within his administration.

“In this way, policymaking is enriched by diverse views, resulting in decisions distilled from a wealth of varied experiences, different disciplines and special expertise of those who contribute,” Bersamin said in a statement on Thursday.

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“While his (Enrile’s) thoughts may carry weight and are always valued, his is one of many that the President seriously considers,” he continued.

“Nonetheless, the President’s stand on the issue concerned remains unchanged,” Bersamin concluded.

TAGS: Duterte, Marcos

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