Arroyo welcomes impeachment cases vs officials

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday said anyone had the right to lodge impeachment cases against impeachable officials but whether it would prosper is another question.

“Any citizen has the right to invoke the Constitutional provision on impeachment but as to whether it will prosper, that’s another matter altogether,” Arroyo told reporters in an ambush interview after the House appropriations panel approved in less than 10 minutes the proposed P6.773 billion 2019 budget of the Office of the President.

Last Thursday, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, and Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat filed impeachment complaints against De Castro, and Associate Justices Andres Reyes Jr., Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, and Alexander Gesmundo.

READ: SC justices who ousted Sereno face impeachment complaints / Opposition solons file impeachment raps vs 7 Supreme Court justices / LOOK: Impeach complaints vs anti-Sereno SC associate justices

De Castro, Bersamin, and Peralta are appointees of Arroyo.

Arroyo earlier vowed to expedite the proceedings so as not to disturb the legislative agenda of the lower chamber. /cbb

READ: Arroyo vows speedy processing of impeach cases vs anti-Sereno SC justices