President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should now call for a special congressional session so that the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte can start, Makabayan bloc lawmakers said on Monday.
In a joint statement, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said the special session would allow the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and move with the proceedings even if on break.
According to the three lawmakers, the Duterte camp鈥檚 鈥渓egal maneuvers鈥� 鈥� filing petitions before the Supreme Court requesting a halt to the impeachment process鈥攕hould already prompt Marcos to call for a special session.
鈥淲e, the Makabayan bloc representatives, strongly urge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to immediately call for a special session of Congress to enable the Senate to convene as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte鈥檚 trial,鈥� they said.
鈥淭he legal maneuvers being employed by the Duterte camp to delay and derail the impeachment process make this call even more urgent. We cannot allow narrow political interests and electoral considerations to obstruct justice and constitutional processes,鈥� they added.
They also noted that if Marcos is open to a special session, he should no longer wait for a call from either Senate President Francis Escudero or House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
鈥淭he people demand accountability now,鈥� Makabayan said in Filipino.
鈥淭he continuous delay to the impeachment trial is bothersome. Each day that passes is another day delaying justice for the people,鈥� they added.
The House impeached Duterte last February 5 after 215 lawmakers signed and endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint against her.
The petition was immediately transmitted to the Senate, as the 1987 Constitution requires a trial to start 鈥渇orthwith鈥� if at least one-third of all House members 鈥� in this case, 102 out of 306 鈥斅� signed and endorsed the petition.
READ: House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate聽
However, the petition was not forwarded to the Senate plenary before its session ended on February 5, which meant that Congress would have to reconvene first after the elections or through a special session to discuss the impeachment.
In a press briefing a day after Duterte was impeached, Marcos said he would only call for a special session if the Senate requested it.
READ: Marcos: Will call聽special session if asked by Senate
Escudero, on the other hand, has been adamant that Duterte鈥檚 fate will be decided by the 20th Congress.聽 According to him, the earliest trial could be held in June when the 19th Congress resumes its session and after the 2025 midterm elections.
READ: Escudero: Next Congress to decide on VP Sara Duterte鈥檚 impeachment
READ: No Senate trial of VP Duterte before June 鈥� Escudero
There are conflicting opinions on whether it is proper for the current Senate to start the impeachment trial when the 2025 midterm elections will surely change the composition of the higher legislative chamber.
Former senator Panfilo 鈥淧ing鈥� Lacson, however, believes there is no issue if the impeachment trial starts within the 19th Congress and crosses over to the 20th Congress based on the same principle used by the judiciary, where the jurisdiction of a court does not change despite the resignation or retirement of a sitting justice.
Two petitions seeking to stop the impeachment trial were filed before the Supreme Court (SC) last Tuesday.
Initially, it was announced that Mindanao-based lawyers asked the SC to stop the impeachment trial since the House supposedly did not observe the Constitution鈥檚 rules, which require it to act on filed impeachment complaints within 10 session days.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that Duterte herself, represented by allied lawyers including her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, also asked the SC last Tuesday to stop the impeachment proceedings.
Duterte鈥檚 petition was hinged on a supposed violation of constitutional provisions stating that only one impeachment complaint would be initiated against a sitting official per year.
Makabayan said political interests should not hold hostage the impeachment proceedings.
鈥淭he impeachment process cannot be held hostage by politicians with narrow interests.聽 We need to unite, and the people have to move to push for true change and accountability,鈥� they said.
鈥淲e call on the Filipino people to exercise their collective power to ensure that justice and accountability prevail over political accommodation and elite interests. The time for decisive action is now,鈥� they added.