HOUSE Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos III said people should not be surprised that he was the first to sign the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
He said the threats made by the Vice President against his father, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., his mother First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in November, which were widely circulated on social media, made him decide to be the first impeachment endorser.
“As to why I was the first one to sign, alangan naman kung sasabihin ng tao na gusto niyang hukayin ‘yung lolo mo at itapon ‘yung katawan sa West Philippine Sea, sasabihin niya gusto niyang patayin ang Pangulo at ang First Lady na aking magulang at gusto niyang patayin ang Speaker, eh, but naman nagugulat ang tao na pumirma ako dyan? You know, these are statements that can’t be taken lightly especially from someone with such a high position,” Marcos said in an interview with reporters.
“So nagtataka na ng ako kung bakit nagulat ‘yung tao eh, alangan naman kung sasabihin mo huhukayin mo ang lolo ko, eh, of course I’ll be the first one to sign. That should come as no surprise. And so that’s why I was the first one to sign,” he said.
As to the Vice President’s assertion that she made no such threat, the President’s son said, “I think we know the truth to that. So let’s just leave it at that.”
He confirmed that his father had advised him to support the impeachment process.
“Katulad po sa sinabi ng ating Pangulo ay nung nagpirmahan na ‘yung impeachment complaint, ay tinanong ko siya kung ano bang advice niya. And tama naman yung sinabi niya. He said do your duty as a congressman and uphold your oath to the Constitution that you swore to protect. And it is my constitutional duty to go through the impeachment process as an elected representative,” he said.
He denied allegations that he spearheaded the gathering of signatures for the impeachment petition.
“Katulad sa sinabi ng Pangulo, I think people give me too much credit. I was given the opportunity to sign and I did sign but I did not spearhead any movement or I did not try to convince anyone to sign. I think they did that on their own volition,” Marcos said.
He said the signatories totaled 215, but that 25 more had signified their situation to sign.
“Overwhelming yung numbers, more than the required numbers. Well, the required was one-third, umabot ng 215. As of today (Friday), I heard nasa 240 na, may mga humabol,” he said.
As for reports that promises of fund releases were made to impeachment signers, Marcos said, “I think that’s just part of ‘yung mga fake news ng mga DDS, parte po ‘yan ng smear campaign nila.”
“To discredit the (impeachment) movement. You can’t blame them. Alam naman natin nung sino amo nila. But no, there was nothing offered in exchange for the signatures. I was there in the room. Pinag-usapan talaga ang articles of impeachment and then people were given the choice to sign or not,” he added.
He pointed out that it’s now up to the Senate to consider the impeachment complaint against VP Duterte and the support of at least 240 House members for it.
“Kung ibabaliwala nila ang opinion ng 240 ng mambabatas at ang mga iba’t ibang grupo sa tingin nila kailangan ma- impeach ang VP, that’s their choice. If they don’t want to give it importance, then let them not give it importance.
But given the numbers, to us, it’s important,” he said.
He noted the statement of Senate President Francis Escudero that senators cannot start the trial of Vice President Duterte during the election-related recess of Congress that will last more than three months.
The Senate and the House will reconvene on June 2 after the May elections.
However, Marcos said there are views that the Senate can convene during the recess for the impeachment trial.
“There are other lawyers who say that because the impeachment court is independent of the legislative body, you can proceed as soon as possible. There are differing opinions…I think we have to wait for the actions of the the upper house, to see what their plans are. But at least naman kami sa House of Representatives tapos na kami sa aming trabaho,” Marcos said.
