THE House Committee on Justice on Monday declared the two remaining impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte sufficient in form, allowing the proceedings to move forward after it set aside the first complaint for violating the Constitution’s one-year bar on initiating impeachment proceedings against the same official and approved the withdrawal of the second complaint.
The panel, chaired by Atty. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of Batangas, adopted two separate motions declaring the third and fourth impeachment complaints against the Vice President sufficient in form.
“There is a motion to declare the third impeachment complaint sufficient in form. Do I hear a second? Is there any objection? Hearing none. The Chair declares the third impeachment complaint, that is Father [Jose] Saballa et.
al. impeachment complaint, sufficient in form,”
Luistro said following the unopposed motion of House Assistant Majority Leader Ysabel Maria J. Zamora, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Justice, of San Juan.
Galing sa Puso Party-list Rep. Jan “Atty. JP” Padiernos moved to declare the fourth impeachment compliant sufficient in form.
“There is a motion to declare the fourth impeachment complaint, that is Cabrera impeachment complaint, sufficient in form. Do I hear a second? The same has been seconded. Is there any objection? Hearing none. The Chair declares the fourth impeachment complaint, that is Cabrera impeachment complaint, sufficient in form. So ruled,” Luistro said.
The third complaint, filed by priests, nuns and lawyers and likewise endorsed by former Justice Secretary and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, raises similar allegations over the alleged misuse of about P612 million in confidential funds and claims of corruption within the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as secretary. It also revives accusations that she threatened to assassinate President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
The fourth complaint, filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and endorsed by Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V and Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., centers on alleged omissions in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and claims of unexplained wealth disproportionate to lawful income.
Tindig Pilipinas co-convener Francisco Joseph “Kiko” Aquino Dee led the filing of the second impeachment complaint and endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña and de Lima, contains five articles of impeachment. It alleges constitutional violations, graft and corruption, bribery and unexplained wealth, gross incompetence and abuse of power, and tolerating extrajudicial killings while allegedly aiding destabilization efforts against the government.
The House Committee on Justice approved the withdrawal of the second impeachment complaint after complainants confirmed in open hearing their decision to withdraw and support the third impeachment complaint.
The first impeachment complaint, endorsed by the Makabayan bloc and signed by civil society leaders including former lawmakers France Castro and Neri Colmenares, accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust over her use of P612.5 million in confidential funds, submission of allegedly fabricated reports to the Commission on Audit and refusal to recognize congressional oversight inquiries.
Voting 22-10, the House Committee on Justice on Monday set aside the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, ruling that it violated the Constitution’s one-year prohibition on initiating impeachment proceedings against the same official.
