Vice President Sara Duterte gestures during a press briefing in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA (UPDATE) — Vice President Sara Duterte is set to face another impeachment complaint to be endorsed by Makabayan Coalition before the House of Representatives on December 4. 

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel disclosed the plan in a press briefing Tuesday, emphasizing that the Makabayan Bloc is gaining the solidarity of various organization and sectors to support the move.

"Ganoon na po talaga ka-pursigido 'yung iba't ibang sectors na maging bahagi ng pagsisimula ng formal proceedings ng impeachment kaya hangga't kaya po, gusto namin ma-entertain talaga sila whether mga youth leaders 'yan, urban poor, religious sector, at iba pa," said Manuel.

Manuel is optimistic there is still time to tackle the impeachment complaint against Duterte within the 19th Congress, and that it will get the needed votes at least at the lower chamber of Congress.

That’s despite a previous message from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to his allies in the lower House not to file an impeachment complaint.

“Optimistic ako na may sapat na panahon, may time pa before the campaign period… We owe it to the people, trabaho natin yung asikasuhin ang anumang impeachment complaints na maifa-file. Hindi siya waste of time,” Manuel said.

“Tingin ko mayroong posibilidad na maaprubahan din naman ito ng Kamara given ‘yung mga exhaustive na hearing ng blue ribbon committee… Kaya kung 1/3, tingin natin may chance na maaabot ito,” he added.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Catro, a fierce critic of Duterte, said in her interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo on Tuesday that the progressive organizations are already "excited" to file the impeachment case.

Castro on VP Duterte: ‘Wag siyang ipokrita'

"Excited na ang lahat. Tuloy na ang pagfa-file ng impeachment complaint ng people's organizations na ie-endorse ng Makabayan sa kongreso bukas," she said. 

"May sapat pa tayong time kasi kung matatapos natin dito sa House of Representatives bago mag-recess, na-endorse na 'yan sa Senate, so bola na ng Senate 'yan so by January, dapat harapin na nila 'yan," she continued.

House Assistant Majority Leader and TINGOG Party List Representative Jude Acidre noted that congressmen need to abide by their Constitutional mandate regarding action on impeachment complaints.

“Sa usapin ng impeachment, hindi po dahil sa ano’ng sinabi ng Pangulo… Saligang batas po ang nagbigay ng mandatong ito sa Kongreso lalo na sa House of Representatives para aksyunan ang petition o impeachment complaints. Hindi kami pwede magsawalang bahala,” he said.

Asked whether the impeachment complaint will be a priority at the House of Representatives, Acidre said the Constitution specifies clear timelines that the House needs to observe.

He also disputed claims that it is a “waste of public funds”.

“Kung pagwawaldas, hindi siguro ang bise president ang tamang tao para mag-correct ng pagwawaldas. Hindi kami ang naka-ubos ng P125 million in 8 days or 9 days. But that being the case, I don’t think that procedures such as impeachment are actually pagwawaldas in a sense,” Acidre said.

“Every resource that we spend for this purpose is worth spending. Kung wala ang paghahanap ng accountability at wala ang ating efforts para maitama ang maling ginagawa ng ating matataas na pinuno ng bansa, anong klaseng demokrasya rin naman tayo?” he added.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) will spearhead the filing of the impeachment case against Duterte on Wednesday over alleged confidential funds misuse. A protest will be held simultaneously by different organizations, families of drug war victims, and rights advocates.

This will be the second impeachment rap against Duterte, with the first being filed by civil society organizations and endorsed by Akbayan party-list. 

Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña called the complaint a "critical juncture in our nation's demand for accountability", while former senator Leila de Lima said this is the "right time" to impeach the vice president. 

Malacañang on Tuesday distanced itself from the first complaint as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. initially stated that removing Duterte from office will only be "a waste of time". 

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero meanwhile encouraged other lawmakers to be mum about the impeachment rap as senators may serve as "judges" should the move develops.

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