A SURVEY on potential presidential aspirants in 2028 showed that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte “is not invincible,” contrary to some perceptions, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon said over the weekend.
Ridon, a lawyer who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts, told the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City that he believed that the survey result convinced many of his colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote for impeaching the Vice President last Monday.
He said the survey had laid bare the perceived invincibility of VP Duterte.
“Tingin ko kahit po ‘yung survey na binabanggit ninyo kung saan in dead heat si Vice President Sara Duterte at si Senator Raffy Tulfo at malapit na malapit ang lamang on a head-to-head ni Vice President Lenny Lobredo at ni Vice President Sara Duterte, tingin ko po nag unmasked po yung aura ng supposed invinsibility ng ating Pangalawang Pangulo,” Ridon said.
“Tingin ko nakapag-ambag po ito don po sa dagdag tapang ng ating pong mga kinatawan na manindigan po ng araw na ito at i-impeach po si Vice President Sara Duterte,” Ridon, who is a member of the House Committee on Justice, said.
He was referring to last Monday’s impeachment vote, in which 257 House members voted for impeaching the vice president.
Ridon said he was surprised by the voting result, since he had predicted that 215 House members would go for impeachment, the same number as last year’s impeachment process.
“Ang layo nga ng sinabi ko, 215…pero pumalo pa din ng 257. So ang actual na expectation ko po ng araw na ‘yun ay papalo lang ng 230-235 yung boto pero 257. Yung pong 257 ay 80 percent ng kabuuan po ng Kamara. So overwhelming po ‘yung boto to impeach the Vice President,” he said.
He said House members from known Duterte bailiwicks voted for impeaching the vice president.
“Even within the strongest bailiwicks of the Vice President and Dutertes within Mindanao, within Cebu, within Visayas, hindi po ito nag turn out for the Vice President. So, I think that point needs to be made,” he added.
Ridon pointed out that the Senate should recognize the overwhelming sentiments in the House to oust Duterte.
“And going into the Senate, dapat ‘yun din ‘yung talagang makita ng lahat ng mga political actors. Na talagang nagsalita po ‘yung Kongreso from all sides and shades and persuasions that there is a reason for impeaching the Vice President the second time under two different Congresses,” Ridon stressed.
metrosundaily
