THE House of Representatives is addressing the oil price crisis while processing the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte at the same time, House Committee on Public Accounts Chair Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list said Saturday.
Ridon issued the clarification in response to claims from the vice president’s camp that Congress has been preoccupied with her impeachment instead of responding to rising fuel costs.
“Very important po na maglinaw doon sa remarks ni Vice President Sara Duterte na una, imbes na dapat ‘yung crisis sa langis ‘yung pong … impeachment ng pangalawang pangulo ang inaatupag ng Kongreso at ng pamahalaan. Katulad po ng binanggit ko kanina, hindi po ‘yun totoo,” Ridon said.
Ridon made the statement during the Saturday Media Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City as he outlined the next steps in the impeachment proceedings before the House Committee on Justice, which earlier found the two remaining impeachment complaints against Duterte sufficient in form and substance.
Ridon, a member of the House Committee on Justice, said Congress is capable of pursuing urgent economic relief measures while carrying out its constitutional duty to address accountability issues.
“He said that Congress can undertake both economic relief and accountability measures at the same time.”
“So ibig sabihin, in the same week, economic relief through suspension of excise taxes on petroleum products tumatakbo po ‘yung proseso nung impeachment ng ating pangalawang pangulo,” Ridon said.
Ridon was referring to the bill authorizing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes during periods of extraordinary increases in global oil prices.
The measure was already approved on second reading in the House and later certified as urgent by the President, allowing Congress to expedite its passage.
The chamber is expected to pass the bill on third and final reading this week.
Ridon said the justice panel is currently waiting for the vice president’s formal answer to the third and fourth impeachment complaints filed against her.
“So at the moment, the House Committee on Justice is waiting for the Vice President’s answer,” Ridon said.
“So I think she has until this weekend and until Monday to submit her answer to the House Committee on Justice,” Ridon said.
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