Makabayan to mobilize complainants vs VP Sara Duterte
MANILA, Philippines — The House Makabayan bloc is preparing to meet groups and individuals who filed impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte and hold a mobilization, pushing the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial.
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said they are planning to conduct a large meeting with the complainants of the three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte in December last year.
READ: No impeachment trial vs VP Duterte during break of Congress – Escudero
“Para mapush ’yung kaya yung Senate. Meron kaming hinahandang malakihang mobilization para madinig ng mga senador yung aming clamor or ituloy na yung kanilang mandato gawin na yung kanilang mandato bilang impeachment trial judge at umpisahan impeachment trial,” Castro said in an interview on Wednesday.
(This is to push the Senate. We are preparing a large mobilization so the senators can hear our clamor and continue their mandate as impeachment trial judges and start the trial.)
She added that they have yet to schedule this meeting, the Makabayan bloc is coordinating with other organizations.
Article continues after this advertisementLast February 6, Senate President Chiz Escudero said that holding an impeachment trial “legally cannot be done.”
Article continues after this advertisementHe previously explained that the complaint was not referred to the plenary to establish a basis for convening the impeachment court by the Senate.
Escudero explained that for an impeachment court to be convened, there has to be an ongoing session in the chamber. The Senate chief said this would allow impeachment judges to take oaths.
He added that this will happen on June 2 once the session resumes after this year’s midterm elections.
On February 5, the lower chamber confirmed that 215 lawmakers signed the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte.
Before this, three complaints were filed against Duterte in December, alleging that she had misused millions of pesos in confidential funds and “tried to cover up” how the money was spent when pressed to explain.
