HOUSE Committee on Justice Vice Chair Ysabel Maria Zamora of San Juan has rebuked Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso over his remarks attacking the impeachment process, which lawmakers are constitutionally bound to carry out.
Zamora, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP), issued the statement after Olaso posted a Facebook video calling the impeachment “kalokohan” or nonsense.
“With due respect to my former colleague, I don’t think words such as ‘kalokohan’ and ‘bugok lang ang gumagawa’ are necessary in any intelligent discourse,” Zamora said.
Zamora underscored that impeachment is not a political option but a constitutional obligation that must proceed once complaints are filed.
“The House of Representatives, or its Committee on Justice, cannot shirk away from its constitutionally mandated task of hearing the impeachment complaints,” Zamora said.
She added: “May nagsampa ng complaints kaya kailangan ipagpatuloy ang proseso. We would be remiss in our duties as public officials if we didn’t do what the Constitution told us to do.”
The House Justice panel is now determining probable cause in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte after ruling them sufficient in form, substance and grounds, an essential step before the process can move forward.
The plenary has authorized the committee to continue hearings even during the congressional recess from March 21 to May 3.
Zamora rejected Olaso’s sweeping claims that lawmakers are failing to do their jobs, calling them unfair.
“It is unfair to suggest that some people are not doing their job or working. Again, this is part of our job as congressmen. Mayor Olaso should know that because he was a congressman himself,” she said.
She pointed out that the House continues to legislate and deliver measures aimed at easing the burden on Filipinos even as it conducts impeachment proceedings.
“Further, I don’t think that the House of Representatives has not doing its duties as we are continuously hearing discussions regarding bills and passing bills that are necessary to uplift the lives of Filipinos,” Zamora said.
“Legislation is the primary job of congressmen, and if people would care to see, we are in fact doing that,” she added.
