HOUSE Committee on Public Accounts chair Terry L. Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list on Friday questioned the legal basis of a petition filed before the Supreme Court (SC) by lawyers and allies of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, calling it a “diversionary tactic” that will not derail the ongoing impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.
Ridon, a member of the House Committee on Justice, said the petitioners “have absolutely no legal personality to bring this case before the Supreme Court,” stressing that their invocation of taxpayer standing is misplaced.
“The lawyers and allies of Vice President Sara Duterte have absolutely no legal personality to bring this case before the Supreme Court. Their claim of taxpayer status as basis for standing is misplaced. Taxpayer suits are recognized only in cases involving the illegal disbursement of public funds. No such disbursement is involved in impeachment proceedings,” Ridon said.
Ridon described the petition as an attempt to sidetrack the impeachment process now underway against the vice president.
“This petition is a clear diversionary tactic designed to deflect from the impeachment proceedings now underway against the vice president,” he said.
Ridon maintained that the move will not weaken the resolve of the House Committee on Justice to pursue accountability over the allegations raised against Duterte.
“The petition will not stop the resolve of the House Committee on Justice to exact accountability for the serious allegations against her, including the misuse of confidential funds, the issuance of death threats against the President and other public officials, and unexplained wealth and related violations,” he said.
Ridon also defended the committee’s authority to issue subpoenas, saying it is well within its powers under the Constitution and House rules.
“The subpoena of documents relevant to the grounds for impeachment is well within the authority of the House Committee on Justice under the 1987 Constitution and the House Rules on Impeachment, both of which expressly allow the conduct of hearings in aid of impeachment proceedings,” he said.
He added that the panel is not limited to the evidence initially attached to the complaint.
“Neither the Constitution nor the Rules require that all evidence be attached to the impeachment complaint at the time of filing. The Committee is fully empowered to undertake all necessary fact-finding measures to establish the truth,” Ridon said.
This includes seeking key financial and corporate documents, he noted.
“This includes the issuance of subpoenas covering the Vice President’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), as well as tax, corporate, and banking records relating to the Duterte-Carpio couple and their business interests,” he said.
Ridon emphasized that the House will continue its proceedings as scheduled.
“We will proceed with the impeachment hearings as scheduled and we will continue to discharge our constitutional mandate until the conclusion of the proceedings,” he said.
Rejecting criticisms that the inquiry is a fishing expedition, Ridon said the focus remains on accountability.
“This is not a fishing expedition. What we have is an impeachable official who continues to evade accountability,” Ridon said.
“But the clock is ticking. The subpoenas will be complied with—and the Vice President will be made accountable,” Ridon added.
