President Benigno Aquino III AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang insisted on Sunday that President Benigno Aquino III committed no impeachable offense as three impeachment complaints against him were set to move forward at the administration-controlled House of Representatives.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma claimed the Palace would not interfere with the proceedings, saying it “recognizes the principle of separation of powers” between the executive branch and the legislature.
“The President is not worried about the proceedings because he knows that he has not committed any impeachable offense,” Coloma said in Filipino over Radyo ng Bayan.
Congressmen belonging to the Makabayan bloc want Aquino removed from office over the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation (EDCA) with the United States.
All three impeachment complaints against the President are set to be referred on Monday (Aug. 11) to the House committee on justice, which is tasked to determine if they are sufficient in form and in substance.
The committee is chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., a staunch ally of the President.
Coloma sought to downplay the impact of the impeachment complaints on the President, saying they were “not a priority.”
“The President has more important priorities focused on the country’s development and on pushing for the reforms that he has started,” he said.
Neophyte Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon, who had endorsed one of the impeachment complaints, earlier urged the justice committee “to listen and consider the arguments we will present during the impeachment proceedings.”
“They should not play blind, deaf, and mute to the travesties committed by the President,” Ridon said in a statement.
Coloma said it would be up to House members to determine the outcome of the impeachment complaints.
“They, the members of the chamber, are the ones who will decide on what they intend to do on the matter,” he said.
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