
MANILA – The House of Representatives will finally act on the three impeachment complaints filed by various groups against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio late last year.
According to House Secretary General Reginald Velasco, the move to tackle the impeachment complaints was delayed after another group informed him about a supposed fourth impeachment case.
“Mayroon talaga nagbabalak [mag-file ng fourth complaint]… But I think we have given them enough time. So, we have to act on it [the three complaints filed last December] this week,” Velasco said.
Several lawmakers, including those who endorsed the impeachment complaints, have started to protest the House’s supposed “inaction” on their cases against the Vice President.
As part of the process, Velasco will transmit the three complaints to the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who will have 10 days to include these in the House plenary’s Order of Business.
In turn, the plenary will have three days to refer the complaints to the House justice committee.
Duterte-Carpio is facing three impeachment complaints before the House of Representatives for alleged violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, plunder and malversation, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes as grounds for impeachment.
Last December, Duterte-Carpio said she welcomed the filing of impeachment complaints against her because only she is the subject of the supposed attacks and do not include her former and current colleagues at the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education.
The Vice President added that the impeachment hearing would also provide her the opportunity to finally answer allegations against her.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself previously said that filing an impeachment complaint against Duterte-Carpio would only distract the government from the real work of government “which is to improve the lives of all Filipinos.”/PN