Impeachment took time, House had to make evidence foolproof 鈥� Abante
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco receives the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. The complaints, filed by progressive organizations led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, were sponsored by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. (GABRIEL P. LALU / 好色先生TV)
MANILA, Philippines — It took some time before the House of Representatives decided on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte because the chamber wanted to submit a foolproof petition to the Senate.
House Spokesperson Princess Abante gave this reason in a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City on Tuesday.
Abante was asked about Senate President Francis Escudero’s statements that people also waited a long time before the House took action on three impeachment petitions filed in December 2024.
She agreed with observations that the House is like a prosecutor in the Philippine judicial system, which receives petitions from private complainants.
With this in mind, the spokesperson noted that the House needs to build strong cases that can withstand trial.
“Yes, the impeachment process originates from the House of Representatives,” she said.
“The House cannot just submit an impeachment complaint that is not in order, not strong and not based on the right grounds to impeach an impeachable official,” she explained.
“This is a constitutional process. This is not a small feat,” she said.
“The House has to do it properly and in accordance with the steps laid down by the Constitution. The House of Representatives did its role and now the ball is in the Senate to conduct the trial, according to the Constitution,” she added.
The first impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed by civil society organizations last December 2 before the office of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
The petitioners were accompanied by former Senator Leila de Lima who acted as spokesperson, while the complaint was endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña.
According to de Lima, mentioned in the complaints were allegations that Duterte was responsible for confidential fund (CF) misuse and the vice president’s threats to ranking government officials.
Two days later, progressive groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan filed another impeachment complaint, with betrayal of public trust as an Article of Impeachment.
Makabayan bloc lawmakers endorsed the second complaint.
Days after, members of different religious groups filed another complaint which, this time, was endorsed by Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado and Aambis-Owa Rep. Lex Colada.
The complaints were filed while session was still ongoing.
But the documents were not forwarded by Velasco’s office to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — which Escudero pointed out in his speech on Monday night at the Senate plenary.
“It is stated in the House rules, any impeachment complaint regularly filed by one member, it should be immediately — not forthwith — immediately transmitted by the secretary general to the speaker,” the Senate leader pointed out.
“It is also stated in the House rules that the speaker, within 10 days, should refer the complaints to the Committee on Justice,” he said.
“These [actions] were not done by the House,” the senate president observed.
“To be honest, even until Congress adjourned its session last February 5, these complaints were not addressed by the secretary general despite his office being just beside the office of the speaker,” Escudero recalled.
Last December 5, 2024, when reporters quizzed Velasco as to why the impeachment complaints have not been sent to Romualdez’ office, the secretary general said they are still waiting for other sectors who wish to file complaints too.
READ: Impeachment complaints vs VP Duterte not yet sent to Romualdez – House
Then on January 2, Velasco said there is a possibility that a fourth impeachment complaint will be filed against Duterte once session resumes — with other lawmakers expressing desire to endorse the initial three complaints.
READ: House exec gets word on 4th impeach rap vs VP Duterte
When no fourth impeachment complaint was received before the session was set to adjourn, Velasco said the first three petitions will be forwarded to Romualdez’ office.
However, on the last session day, 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte.
The fourth complaint was immediately sent to the Senate.
The 1987 Constitution states in Article XI, Section 3 (4) that a verified complaint filed by one-thirds of the House — or 102 of 306 lawmakers — would “constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.”
READ: House impeaches Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate
All in all, it took the House around two months to process the complaints — which Abante believes is enough if the paramount consideration was ensuring that the impeachment articles go through the right processes.
“Two months, for me if the idea is to ensure that the processes are in order, it’s okay. But again, time is relative,” she noted./apl
