AT a five-thousand-strong rally at the historic People Power Monument on Friday morning, Akbayan Partylist Rep. Perci Cendaña called out the House leadership for failing to act on the impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, all of which were lodged in December 2024.
Cendaña, the endorser of the first complaint before the House of Representatives, warned that every day of inaction emboldens the Vice President to cling to impunity and evade accountability.
“Anong petsa na? Matatapos na ang Enero, wala pa ring aksyon ang Kongreso sa mga impeachment complaints. Magpapatalo at magpapasindak ba ang Kongreso kay Sara at sa kanyang chicheryang mga palusot?” Cendaña asked.
“The time has come to take decisive action and finally impeach the Vice President. Habang nakaupo pa siya, hinahayaan nating mamayani ang pandarambong sa ating gobyerno,” he asserted.
The Akbayan lawmaker urged House members to prioritize the nation’s interests over political calculations.
“Ang dapat mangibabaw ay ang ating moral at pambansang obligasyon, hindi ang pangamba sa darating na halalan. Hindi tayo dapat nagpapaapekto sa bilang ng botong madadagdag o mababawas kung susuportahan natin ang impeachment. We must uphold our constitutional mandate to revoke the powers of abusive government officials,” Cendaña said.
He also praised the thousands who took to the streets to demand Duterte’s impeachment and denounce government corruption. However, he warned against attempts by the Duterte camp to hijack public discourse and divert attention from the impeachment complaints.
“We congratulate all Filipinos who mobilized today to call for Sara Duterte’s removal and to stand against corruption. But let us not be complacent. Let us remain vigilant against the Dutertes’ attempts to twist the narrative and undermine the call for justice and accountability,” Cendaña said.
Carrying the theme “A Gathering for Accountability: Impeach Sara!”, the event was attended by complainants of the first and third impeachment cases, Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan Partylist, Fr. Joel Saballa, Fr. Bong Sarabia, ML Partylist, Magdalo Partylist Second Nominee Eugene Gonzales, Kiko Aquino Dee, EveryWoman, August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM), SIKLAB, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, Kalipunan, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), ASAP, Akbayan Youth, and many more.
The program featured a mass officiated by Fr. Bong Sarabia and Fr. Joel Saballa, followed by testimonials from the impeachment complainants, statements from key political and sectoral leaders, and cultural presentations.
