The Makabayan Coalition hold a protest in front of the House of Representatives on November 25, 2024, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Duterte, who they say is shamelessly using her position to steal millions in government funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File 

Progressive groups are mounting a rally to urge Senate action on the impeachment complaint filed by the lower chamber against Vice President Sara Duterte. 

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro, who is among the signatories in the 4th impeachment complaint, said a meeting among complainants in the first, second and third impeachment complaints is being organized to discuss the mass mobilization. 

“Mayroon kami inihahandang malaking mass mobilization para madinig ng mga senador ‘yung aming clamor na… ituloy na ‘yung kanilang mandato, gawin na ‘yung kanilang mandato bilang impeachment trial judge at umpisahan na ‘yung impeachment trial,” she explained.

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 Leaders of the lower chamber have said that they will leave the trial schedule to the Senate’s discretion. 

House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega, however, hopes senators will listen to the public’s clamor. 

“Siyempre nirerespeto din namin ‘yung jurisdiction nila. Pero dapat makinig din po sila sa pulso ng nakakarami. Pero sabi ko nga, mahirap naman na panghimasukan ‘yung bagay na ‘yon. Although kung ganyan kalaki ang clamor ng public, siguro kailangan nilang ire-assess or tingnan nila what's the best course of action na i-take,” he said. 

“Mataas po ang respeto natin sa Senado. Alam po natin na, may tiwala na gagawin nila ‘yung tama… at mararamdaman po nila ang pulso ng taumbayan,” Ortega added.

 Of the seven articles of impeachment forwarded to the Senate last February 5, House Assistant Majority Leader and Manila City 1st District Representative Ernesto Dionisio said conviction on only one would be enough to remove Duterte from office.

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 He noted that it is “highly probable” the House prosecution panel will present before the Senate impeachment court the National Bureau of Investigation’s findings on Duterte’s alleged assassination threat against the President, the First Lady, and the House Speaker. 

“Mabigat na timbang ‘yun kung titimbangin mo ‘yung ebidensya, kasi hindi siya hearsay. Hindi siya galing kung saan-saan lang. Galing siya sa NBI natin… Hindi lalabas ng NBI ‘yun na wala silang mabigat na hawak,” Dionisio said.

 On Wednesday, members of the House prosecution panel met for the second time. The meeting was also attended by some lawmakers, who are part of the House Quad Committee, the Young Guns and the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, volunteer private lawyers, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

 “Dumaan lang siya saglit siguro parang words of encouragement na this is the road we are going into… na we have to stay true to what we voted upon,” Ortega told the media referring to Romualdez’s message during the meeting.

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 In a video posted on his Facebook Page on Wednesday, House Deputy Speaker Rep. Duke Frasco told his constituents that part of the reasons he signed the impeachment complaint is to avoid putting at risk the programs and projects for his district.

 “Di man ko gusto na marisgo ang atong mga programa, marisgo ang atong mga proyekto sa lungsod sa Liloan sa tubukin sa distrito kung dili ko makuyog sa kadaghanan dos sientos kwarento kabuok na mga congressman,” he said.

 In a press conference on Thursday, Ortega said that no one was forced to sign the impeachment complaint.

  “Hindi naman po ganoon dito sa Kongreso… Kanya-kanyang decision po ‘yan, wala pong pilitan, wala pong pwersahan. Parang ako, pulso ng distrito ko ‘yung ginagawa kong basehan para dito,” he said.