Makabayan bloc launches House signature campaign to impeach Duterte
Metro Manila, Philippines — Members of the Makabayan party-list bloc have rolled out a signature campaign among their House of Representatives colleagues to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte faces two impeachment complaints endorsed by Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, and Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña.
The bloc said it needs to secure 106 signatures to automatically transmit the impeachment resolution, filed by around 70 private people, to the Senate for trial.
The second complaint cites betrayal of public trust as grounds for impeachment, in particular Duterte’s controversial P612.5-million confidential fund spending in the Office of the Vice President and Education Department that she formerly headed.
“We urge our colleagues in Congress to act with integrity and political courage by supporting this impeachment resolution,” the Makabayan bloc said in a joint statement on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“During the budget deliberations, the misuse of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President was exposed. It is now up to the House of Representatives to fulfill its constitutional duty to hold erring public officials accountable,” they added.
Without the required number of signatures to automatically transmit the complaint to the Senate, the issue will have to go through the legislative mill of listing in the order of business within 10 session days from filing, then referred to a committee within three session days for hearing.
Congress will adjourn on Dec. 21 and resume session on Jan. 13 next year. It will suspend again in February to give way for the midterm elections in May, and resume in June for two weeks before the third regular session comes to an end.
The Makabayan bloc called on the Senate to get ready for an “impartial and transparent” trial.
It also appealed to the public to “pressure your representatives in Congress to support the impeachment resolution” to hold Duterte accountable.
