House members on impeach plans vs. Sara Duterte: None so far

Several members of the House of Representatives on Thursday said there were no talks yet on the filing of an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte amid her widening rift with Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.

"No. Wala pa so far. Tingnan natin kung anong mangyayari," Quezon 2nd District Representative David "Jay-jay" Suarez said when asked if there were directives regarding the filing of the impeachment case against Duterte.

(No. None so far. Let's see what happens.)

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop also said there were no talks yet on the impeachment case when asked the same question.

"To me? Wala pa (None yet)," he told reporters.

Speaker Martin Romualdez was tight-lipped on the matter when asked to comment on impeachment plans against the vice president on the sidelines of the bicameral conference committee meeting on the 2025 national budget.

Last Tuesday, Manila Representative Joel Chua said House members were not yet discussing Duterte's impeachment even after her remark about killing President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

In a virtual press conference last week, Duterte said she would have Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if she herself was assassinated.

"'Wag kang mag-alala sa security ko kasi may kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, 'pag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez," Duterte said during the virtual press conference.

(I've already spoken to someone, so don't worry about my security. I told that person to kill BBM [Marcos' initials] Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez if I were to be slain.)

"Nagbilin na ako, ma'am. ‘Pag namatay ako, wag ka tumigil hanggang hindi mo mapapatay sila. And then he said 'yes.'"

(Ma'am, I've already left a directive. Don't stop till you've killed them all if I die. And then he said, "Yes.")

Duterte later clarified that her statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged risk to her security. She also said that her remark was "taken out of logical context."

Marcos, for his part, vowed to fight back "criminal attempts" that threaten his life.

"Kung ganun na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang Presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga pangkaraniwan na mamamayan?" Marcos said in a video statement.
 
(If it's that easy to plot the murder of a President, what more for our ordinary citizens?)

"'Yang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas. 'Yan ay aking papalagan," Marcos added.

(We cannot let these criminal attempts pass. I will push back against these.)

Duterte's remarks over the weekend came amid a House panel investigation into the alleged questionable budget use of the OVP and DepEd when it was under her leadership.

Romualdez earlier denied Duterte's allegation that he is plotting to kill her, saying her claim was just a diversionary tactic amid the ongoing House investigation. — VDV, GMA Integrated News