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ABS 2025
Moral obligation’: 3rd impeachment complaint filed vs VP Sara
By Nidz Godino
“This decision is not made lightly but with deep sense of responsibility to ensure accountability at highest levels of government,” Rep. Gabriel Bordado (Camarines Sur, 3rd District) said in statement, day after Congress suspended its regular session, third impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio was filed on Thursday, December 19.
Complaint was lodged by 12 complainants, including Catholic priests, lawyers and members of anti-corruption groups.
It was endorsed by two lawmakers, namely Bordado and Rep. Lex Colada (AAMBIS-OWA Party). Bordado is House assistant minority leader, while Colada is House deputy minority leader.
Similar to the two previously filed complaints, their grounds for impeaching Duterte included betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of Constitution.
They referred to House good government committee’s findings on alleged mishandling of public funds under Duterte’s leadership of Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd).
Committee has been investigating OVP’s P500 million confidential fund expenditures in 2022 and 2023, as well as DepEd’s P112.5 million secret funds spent during the same period.
After wrapping up this year’s eight hearings, good government panel is convinced that irregularities they discovered in thousands of acknowledgment receipts points to misuse of funds.
Some lawmakers were also skeptical of named recipients and beneficiaries, especially after Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) verified that most had no birth records.
Reverend Father Joseito Sarabia, one of the complainants, told reporters that they believe Duterte had “committed something illegal and something immoral against Filipino people.”
“For us, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, thou shall not bear false witness,” he added.
Meanwhile, complainants’ legal counsel Amando Ligutan said in third impeachment complaint is different from ones endorsed by Makabayan and Akbayan lawmakers.
According to him, complainants believe removing Duterte from office is “no longer just legal and constitutional” duty of House of Representatives and Senate.
“It has now become their moral obligation to do so…not only legal, constitutional, it’s now their moral duty to do so,” Ligutan said.
Bordado clarified that impeachment complaint is not “partisan attack but constitutional mechanism to address significant breaches of public trust.”
“Her inflammatory statements and apparent disregard for transparency and due process constitute grounds for impeachment,” Bordado added.
First impeachment complaint was filed on December 2 by 16 individuals from sectoral groups and families of extrajudicial killings, citing four grounds for impeachment. This was endorsed by Rep. Perci Cedaña (Akbayan Party).
Two days later, December 4, second impeachment complaint was put forward by over 70 people from civil society groups representing the marginalized such as labor, peasant, environmental and even student organizations.
They only cited betrayal of public trust as one and overall ground, serving as umbrella for alleged abuse, misuse and wastage of funds.
It was endorsed by Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers Party), Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party) and Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Party).
House of Representatives has 10 session days at most from its recipient of impeachment complaint to include it in the plenary’s order of business.
They have three session days to refer it to Committee on Justice for them to deliberate on complaint’s soundness. Sessions are usually held from Monday to Wednesday.
Congress will resume its session on Jan. 13, 2025.
ISKUP! 