Erice in skipping VP impeachment: Not a fan of Sara Duterte, Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — Despite his decision to abstain from and criticize the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice clarified that he is neither supportive of Duterte nor the Marcos administration.

On Monday, Erice was asked if he is not worried that his decision not to take a stand might be seen as playing coy between two opposing sides. 

Erice said he is not siding with either Duterte or President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., adding that he is pitching former senator Mar Roxas for president in 2028.

“Hindi ako namamangka sa ilog ni Duterte o sa ilog ni Marcos dahil ang pupupuntahan ng ilog ni Marcos at ni Duterte ay impyerno sa bansang Pilipinas,” Erice told reporters during an ambush interview.

(I am not rowing in the river of Duterte or Marcos, because both will lead to hell for the Philippines.)

“I’m convincing Mar Roxas to run,” Erice said.

Roxas, also a former Interior secretary, was the standard bearer of Erice’s Liberal Party (LP) during the 2016 presidential race. 

Roxas lost to Rodrigo Duterte, father of the incumbent Vice President.

“Maliwanag naman na ang pinaniniwalaan ko ‘yong kakayahan ni Mar Roxas.  Mas que si Mar Roxas, sabi niya, ano ba bago, may boto pa ba ako?  Dapat baguhin natin, ‘ka ko, hindi dapat ang magbago ‘yong kandidato, ‘yong magbago ‘yong pag-iisip ng tao,” Erice said.

(It is clear that I believe in the ability of Mar Roxas.  Even Mar Roxas is confused; he said what’s new? Do I still have a vote?  But we should change that, I said, the candidate should not be the one changing, but the mindset of people.)

“So magkampanya tayo, baguhin natin ‘yong isip ng tao, bumoto sila (based on) qualifications, competence, and tingin ko sa lahat ng mga kandidato na ‘yan, ang pinaka-qualified si Mar Roxas,” he added.

(So let us do campaigns, change the mindset of the people, and ask them to vote (based on) qualifications, competence, and I think of all the possible candidates, Mar Roxas is the most qualified.)

Roxas was picked by LP as the successor to LP stalwart and former president Benigno Aquino III, after a failed vice-presidential bid in 2010.  Roxas tried to return to the Senate in 2019 through the opposition’s Otso Diretso slate, but failed to make the Magic 12.

Prior to these statements, Erice said that he would not participate in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Duterte because it was merely being used for politics, claiming that the House of Representatives lacks the moral authority to seek accountability.

According to Erice, lawmakers appear to invoke constitutional duties only when it is convenient to them, noting that the chamber for the longest time has ignored the 1987 Constitution’s provisions tasking Congress to craft an anti-political dynasty law.

He also said that the pursuit of the impeachment is not a “principled process” but a political struggle between two former allies — referring to Duterte and Marcos, who ran in the 2022 elections under the Uniteam banner.

Earlier, the House committee on justice approved its committee report on the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, recommending that the Vice President be removed from office.

The committee report, which contains the articles of impeachment against Duterte, was unanimously approved.  There were 55 members who voted in favor of the committee report.

Prior to the report’s approval, three clarificatory hearings were held: on April 14, the committee tackled allegations of confidential fund misuse and allegations made by Duterte’s former aide, Ramil Madriaga.

On April 22, allegations of unexplained wealth and failure to fully disclose her assets in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) were discussed.

Last April 29, the committee talked about Duterte’s threats to ranking officials including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

On the same day, the justice panel unanimously voted in favor of motions to declare the existence of probable cause. /gsg