Act on impeach raps vs VP Duterte, House urged

Vice President Sara Duterte—GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Opposition lawmakers on Friday challenged the majority in the House of Representatives not to let the three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte languish in the lower chamber and to “muster the necessary votes” to bring it to the Senate.

In a joint statement, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said the third impeachment complaint filed on Dec. 19 by religious, civil and legal groups only strengthened the call for the Vice Presidents’s accountability on the use of confidential funds.

READ: VP Sara Duterte slapped with 3rd impeachment complaint

They called on the House leadership to do its constitutional duty and “immediately act on all three impeachment complaints at the soonest possible time.”

“The filing of three separate impeachment complaints from various sectors of society shows the gravity of [Duterte’s] misuse of P612 million in confidential funds. We can no longer stand idly by amid this immense abuse of public funds,” Castro said.

“Every day that passes by without action being taken on these complaints is another day of impunity,” Brosas said. “The Filipino people deserve to know the truth about how their hard-earned tax money was spent.”

Betrayal of public trust

The Makabayan lawmakers endorsed the second impeachment complaint on Dec. 4 filed by progressives, who are seeking Duterte’s ouster on the basis of betrayal of public trust.

They cited the findings of the House committee on good government that found irregularities in the use of P625 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, when Duterte was still secretary.

“The allegations are serious —from the failure to provide documentary evidence, to the use of fictitious individuals for acknowledgement receipts, to the deliberate concealment of actual intelligence gathering activities,” Manuel said. “These are not mere technical violations but point to systematic corruption and betrayal of public trust.”

The first impeachment complaint was filed by various civil society members and represented by former Sen. Leila de Lima last Dec. 2, also on the same findings.

Both are still with the Office of the Secretary General and have yet to be forwarded to the justice committee, though Congress already adjourned for the Christmas break last Dec. 18.

The bloc warned the House that the “entire nation is watching … as the clamor for accountability grows.”

“This must not go the way of previous impeachment complaints that was left to languish. The complaint is a just and legal option that should not be held hostage by electoral considerations,” they said.

The lawmakers also reminded Duterte of her previous statement welcoming these complaints and challenged her to fully cooperate with the impeachment process.