PENDING impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio would be transmitted to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez’s office this week, a top official of the chamber said on Monday.
“[It’s] still with me, but we have to act on it this week. We will act on it this week,” House Secretary-General Reginald S. Velasco told reporters.
Ouster complaints against Ms. Duterte have languished at Mr. Velasco’s office since their filing in December.
The three impeachment raps, filed by civil society groups, activists, and clergymen, alleged that the vice-president committed graft, corruption, bribery, and betrayal of public trust. This is in connection with her failure to account for the alleged “anomalous disbursements” of more than P600 million worth of confidential and intelligence funds in 2022 and 2023.
Mr. Velasco said the transmittal of the first three complaints was delayed as his office awaited the filing of a fourth complaint.
Ouster complaints against Ms. Duterte face an uphill battle as lawmakers have questioned whether there is enough time to deliberate with the country’s midterm elections just less than four months away.
Congress is set to go on a four-month break next week for the midterm elections on May 12. It will resume sessions on June 2-13 before the 19th Congress officially closes.
“Anything is possible,” said Mr. Velasco, noting that impeachment complaints against Ms. Duterte could still move forward before lawmakers go on break for the election campaign period.
He said some congressmen are looking to “fast-track” the impeachment process by collecting “103 or more” signatures from lawmakers, allowing it to be directly transmitted to the Philippine Senate.
Any member of the chamber or citizen, through the endorsement of a House member, may file an impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives.
The chamber needs a vote of at least one-third of all members, or in this case at least 103, before it is elevated to the Senate for trial.
The Constitution provided that no impeachment proceedings should be initiated against the same official more than once within one year. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio