Castro dares Defensor to prove 1st impeachment case is a ‘scam’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday dared former Rep. Michael Defensor to prove his claim that the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Andre de Jesus was a “scam” that allegedly intended to block succeeding complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a Viber message to reporters, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also said the Malacañang was hands-off regarding any “bickering” around the impeachment complaint.

READ: 2 new impeach raps vs Marcos hit a snag

“Mike Defensor should substantiate his accusation against Atty. De Jesus. Anyway, Atty. de Jesus already admitted that he worked as counsel for the PDP Laban Duterte faction. We have nothing to do with their bickering,” Castro said.

These remarks came after groups led by Defensor and former Ilocos Norte Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan were turned away by OSG Executive Director Jose Marmoi Salonga when they tried to file separate impeachment complaints against Marcos on Thursday.

Salonga said that Secretary General Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil was out of the country and that he had no authority to receive impeachment complaints in her absence.

Both complaints accuse Marcos of betrayal of public trust over alleged multibillion-peso kickbacks from flood control projects and anomalies in the national budget.

Bayan opted to leave a copy of its complaint with the OSG to comply with constitutional requirements, rather than wait for the House session to resume on Monday.

However, the Singson-Defensor group criticized the OSG for “effectively usurp[ing] the constitutional authority of the House itself and deny[ing] the Filipino people their only lawful mechanism to raise grievances against a sitting President.”

The group pointed out that receiving and recording impeachment complaints were merely “ministerial” duties of the OSG.

“There is no discretion given to the Secretary General to reject, screen, delay, or block such filings,” it added.

They did not leave a copy of their complaint and decided not to return on Monday.

“Why would we burden ourselves to go back here on Monday (and try to refile the complaint) and be part of the moro-moro when we know that the House would only take up the scam impeachment by De Jesus?” Defensor told reporters.

“We will still fight, and we have legal options to discuss and to think about,” he added. “But not here anymore.” /mr