(RENEWAL) CIVIL groups filed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in the House of Representatives on Monday.
The complainants accused Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and other serious crimes.
The office of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco received the complaint endorsed by Rep. Akabai Percy Chendan at 4:30 p.m.
PROCESS BEGINS Former Senator Leila de Lima and members of civil groups file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in the House of Representatives on December 2, 2024. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOT
According to Velasco, the chamber is “constitutionally empowered to act on any impeachment complaint filed under the 1987 Constitution.”
“It is important to emphasize that consideration of the impeachment complaint is not a discretionary act of the House of Representatives, but a constitutional obligation. The constitution provides for clear steps to ensure justice and rule of law,” he said.
The 1987 Constitution gives the House of Representatives the exclusive power to initiate impeachment cases and the Senate to hear such cases.
According to the Constitution, a verified impeachment complaint can be filed by a member of the Chamber. Any citizen can also submit it, but according to the Constitution, the complaint must be approved by a member of the Chamber.
Duterte’s impeachment complaint has been linked to various issues, including the use of confidential funds by the office of the vice president and her claim that she ordered someone to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Lisa Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez if she died in an alleged assassination plot.
Duterte said the remark, made in an online tirade against the administration, was “taken out of logical context.”
President Marcos urged lawmakers not to file an impeachment complaint against Duterte, saying it would be a waste of time and resources.
But 1-Rider Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said the president’s comment was not an order, and the executive and legislative branches are separated.
Taguig 2nd District Rep. Pammy Zamora said in Filipino and English, “We respect the president’s opinion and what he said is a very important matter. However, we cannot prohibit anyone here from filing (an impeachment complaint).”
Among the complainants are former peace advisor Teresita Quintos Deles, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, former party representative of Magdalo Gary Alejano and the families of victims of the drug war during the previous administration.
They were accompanied by former senator Leila de Lima, who served as their spokesperson.
“A public position is not a throne of privileges. This is a position of trust. Sarah Duterte has defiled that trust with her blatant abuse of power. This impeachment is not just a legal battle, but a moral crusade to restore dignity and decency in public service. “, De Lima said in a statement.
Sendana, meanwhile, called the filing of the impeachment complaint a “critical moment” in the country’s quest for accountability.
“Today I officially support the first ever and historic impeachment complaint filed by our citizens against Vice President Sara Duterte.
“This moment marks a critical moment in our country’s demands for accountability. I fully support the brave citizens calling for Duterte to be held accountable for his flagrant violations of the Constitution, flagrant corruption and complicity in mass murder,” Sendaña said.
Sendaña also linked the impeachment complaint to a broader effort to hold Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and his allies accountable for the controversial drug war, which he said has left “a trail of grieving families demanding justice , closure and healing.”
Grounds for impeachment
The complaint details 24 articles of impeachment, including the misappropriation of billions of pesos in trust funds during her tenure as Davao City mayor and vice president, failure to report significant state budgets and refusal to attend congressional hearings.
On the counts of culpable violation of the Constitution and bribery and corruption, the complaint alleges that Duterte failed to properly account for confidential funds of P125 million in 2022 and an additional unaccounted P650 million in 2023 for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department. of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as secretary.
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He also cited “rigged” bids for DepEd equipment and more than P15 billion in unused funds in 2023.
Duterte also faced allegations of bribery and unexplained wealth, alleging that she amassed P111 million in personal accounts and hundreds of millions more in joint accounts with her father.
She is accused of betraying the public trust by refusing to carry out her duties during Typhoon Karina in July and failing to confront Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Other charges include charges of serious crimes, such as direct involvement in extrajudicial killings and threats against high-ranking officials.
Complainants urged Congress to act quickly and impartially.
“Our complaint is a clarion call to destroy the culture of violence, corruption and impunity that has characterized the vice president. Today, we stand up for those who can no longer speak for themselves, demanding that Congress take decisive action to uphold truth, justice and accountability,” Villanueva said.
The vice president did not comment on the impeachment complaint.
From PNA