Makabayan bloc members (from left) ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. 鈥敽诹仙� file photos
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The petition filed before the Supreme Court to stop the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is a mere 鈥渄esperate鈥� attempt to evade accountability, according to Makabayan bloc lawmakers at the House of Representatives.
The petition is a 鈥渓ast-ditch effort to escape scrutiny鈥� regarding allegations of confidential misuse involving Duterte鈥檚 offices 鈥� the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and, previously, the Department of Education (DepEd).
This was in a statement issued on Tuesday by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel.
鈥楧esperate legal measures鈥�
鈥淲e, the Makabayan bloc in Congress, strongly condemn the desperate legal maneuvers of Vice President Sara Duterte鈥檚 camp to obstruct justice and evade accountability through their recent petition to the Supreme Court seeking to halt the impeachment proceedings,鈥� the lawmakers said.
鈥淭his is nothing but a last-ditch effort to escape scrutiny over the millions of confidential funds that were questionably spent under her watch. If they are not hiding anything, why don鈥檛 they want to show up?鈥� they added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Earlier, lawyers from Mindanao filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court, asking that the Senate trial on the impeachment complaint against Duterte be stopped and that the complaint be declared null and void.
According to an advisory, the petition 鈥渜uestions the impeachment process arising from the said complaint considering that the initiation of the same was procedurally defective, constitutionally infirm and jurisdictionally void.鈥�
Complaint filed properly
However, the Makabayan lawmakers maintained that the impeachment complaint was filed properly and the articles sent to the Senate were valid 鈥� and as a result, the Senate trial should start already.
鈥淭he Makabayan bloc maintains that the impeachment complaint is valid and properly filed, following all constitutional requirements. The petition filed by VP Sara鈥檚 supporters is a transparent attempt to perpetuate fiscal impunity and protect a culture of corruption,鈥� the lawmakers said.
鈥淲e call on the Supreme Court to dismiss this baseless petition and allow the impeachment process to proceed according to constitutional mandate. All the more, the Senate must convene as an impeachment court without delay. The Filipino people deserve no less than full transparency and accountability from their public officials,鈥� they added.
Clear pattern
Meanwhile, Brosas said that the pattern was clear 鈥� Duterte would again want to evade the impeachment proceedings as she evaded House hearings on the budget and other issues thrown at her.
鈥淭he pattern is clear: She did not face the House hearings. Now she wants to stop the impeachment court. This is the height of arrogance and contempt for public accountability. The question is: Where did the millions of confidential funds go?鈥� Manuel added in a mix of English and Filipino.
鈥淭he Filipino people deserve answers, not legal gymnastics. The vice president cannot hide behind her Davao lawyers forever. If their conscience is really clear, she must face the impeachment court,鈥� he added.
Duterte was impeached last February 5 after over one-third of all House members 鈥� 215 lawmakers 鈥� verified and endorsed a fourth complaint.
Under the 1987 Constitution, an impeachment complaint could be immediately forwarded to the Senate for a trial if at least one-third of all House members 鈥� in this case, 102 out of 306 鈥斅犅爃ave signed and endorsed the petition.
READ: House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate
There were seven articles of聽impeachment聽in the verified complaint sent to the Senate:
- betrayal of public trust, commission of high crimes due to her threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
- betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption due to misuse of confidential funds in the DepEd and the OVP
- betrayal of public trust and bribery in DepEd
- violation of the 1987 Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets
- commission of high crimes due to involvement in extrajudicial killings in the drug war
- betrayal of public trust due to alleged destabilization plots and high crimes of sedition and insurrection
- betrayal of public trust due to her unbecoming conduct as Vice President
The trial has not started yet, however, as there are conflicting views on how the impeachment proceedings would go.
Some have expressed concerns that if the trial starts during the 19th Congress, some members of the Senate 鈥� who will sit as senator-judges 鈥� would no longer be in office for the 20th Congress as they are not eligible for reelection.
Even former Sen. Leila de Lima 鈥� a supporter of moves to impeach Duterte and spokesperson for the first set of complainants 鈥� admitted last January 17 that this issue remains an open question.