By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Senior leaders of the House of Representatives reiterated on Friday (29 Nov 2024) that the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is not on the chamber’s agenda.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” Suarez, and House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe emphasized this following discussions about the possible filing of an ouster complaint against Duterte.
“As we have repeatedly pointed out in media interviews, impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte are not on our agenda,” the three House leaders said in a joint statement.
Gonzales, Suarez, and Dalipe noted that while the House is committed “to upholding transparency and accountability, the primary focus of the House committees concerned is on uncovering the truth behind the use of confidential funds and addressing any alleged irregularities linked to questionable businesses.”
“Our institution is duty-bound to serve as a check and balance while safeguarding public trust. The Filipino people deserve answers regarding these serious matters, and we aim to fulfill this responsibility without political distractions or divisiveness,” they added.
“Let us work together to ensure that governance remains focused on what truly matters—delivering results and improving the lives of our people—while fulfilling all constitutional mandates with integrity and impartiality,” they said.
Under the Constitution, any citizen may file an impeachment complaint against any impeachable official. However, the petition must be endorsed by at least one House member for it to be acted upon.
“However, we also recognize that the House of Representatives has a constitutional duty to act on impeachment complaints filed by ordinary citizens against impeachable officials,” they said.
“This is not just the responsibility of the institution, but also the individual duty of each congressman to uphold the Constitution. Should an impeachment complaint be properly filed in accordance with the rules, the House is obligated to deliberate on it fairly and transparently, ensuring that the process adheres to the highest standards of justice,” they stressed.
The House rules on impeachment prescribe the process and timelines for considering and acting on an impeachment complaint.
An impeachment petition signed by at least one-third of all House members goes directly to the Senate for trial.
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