• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Island Region solons were among the 215 members of the House of Representatives, who signed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte Feb. 5.
Among the signatories were Bacolod Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya, Negros Occidental representatives Gerardo Valmayor Jr. (1st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Juliet Marie Ferrer (4th District), Mercedes Alvarez (6th District), and Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist), who is also the designated caretaker of the 3rd District.
Siquijor Lone District Rep. Zaldy Villa, as well as Negros Oriental solons Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st District), and Manuel Sagarbarria (2nd District), also signed the complaint.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who is also the caretaker of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental, was the last to sign the impeachment complaint.
The name of Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo (5th District, NegOcc), however, was not in the list of solons, who supported the impeachment of Duterte. He could not be reached for comment, as of press time.
The impeachment complaint revolves around six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws.
These include alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez; malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds, claims of bribery and corruption at the Department of Education during her stint as secretary; unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets, and her alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings.
Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, who came to the rescue of his sister, said he’s “appalled and enraged by the desperate and politically-motivated efforts.”
“The sinister maneuvering of certain lawmakers, led by Rep. Garin, to hastily collect signatures and push for the immediate approval and transmittal of this baseless impeachment case is a clear act of political persecution. This administration is treading on dangerous ground,” he said in a statement.
“If they were unfazed by the over one million rallying supporters of the Iglesia ni Cristo, then they are blindly marching toward an even greater storm – one that could shake the very foundation of their rule. The Filipino people will not sit idly by as this government undermines democracy and silences opposition through fabricated accusations,” he added.
Senate Secretary Renato Bantug said the verified impeachment complaint against the vice president was not tackled during the session Feb. 5, as his office needs to first go over the voluminous documents transmitted by the House of Representatives before reporting it out on the Senate floor.
The review is needed before the complaint will be included among the topics during the plenary, which, however, could happen by June since the Senate’s last regular session ended Wednesday and will resume on June 2.
Senator Joel Villanueva said any impeachment complaint as well as the establishment of an impeachment court has to be discussed during a regular session.
“There has to be a plenary action first. Everything we do, including the declaration of senators sitting as an impeachment court, needs plenary action. It is the plenary action that will give us the go signal,” Villanueva told reporters. | GB with PNA reports
