Makabayan solons seek meeting to push impeachment process vs. VP Sara

Members of the Makabayan bloc have sought a meeting with filers and endorsers of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte to get the process started.

In a letter dated January 6, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said the meeting-consultation will be on Wednesday, January 8, at the Minority Conference Room of the House of Representatives at 10:00 am.

“As fellow advocates for good governance and public accountability, in particular, Vice President Duterte's accountability to the people...we hope that we can discuss in this meeting our impeachment complaints and agree on efforts to push the Marcos administration and the House of Representatives leadership to move the impeachment process along,” they said.

“On behalf of the complainants and endorsers of the Second Impeachment Complaint, we hope for your favorable response, and look forward to meeting you on Wednesday,” they added.

Castro, the House Deputy Minority Leader, earlier called on the House leadership to take action on the three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte.

GMA News Online sought comments from other complainants and endorsers and will publish them as soon as it becomes available. 

The first impeachment complaint against Duterte and endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña was filed before the Office of the House Secretary General last December 2, 2024.

The Makabayan impeachment complaint was filed two days later on December 4, 2024.

The third complaint was filed by lawyers and Catholic clergy back on December 19, 2024. This was endorsed by Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado and House Deputy Minority Leader and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada.

All these impeachment complaints are still in the Office of the House Secretary General.

Based on House Rules, a verified complaint for impeachment either filed by a member of the House or by any citizen/s which is endorsed by any House member should be filed before the Office of the House Secretary General and “immediately referred to the Speaker.”

It also said that the Speaker will then have it included in the Order of Business within 10 session days from receipt.

Thereafter, the impeachment complaint will be referred to the House Committee on Justice within three session days thereafter.

Under the Constitution, an impeachment trial in the Senate will proceed once an impeachment complaint is endorsed by at least one-third of the members of the House of Representatives. 

There are over 300 House members. 

Duterte earlier welcomed impeachment complaints filed against her.

“So, okay din 'yung impeachment case dahil ako lang ang tinitira doon, ako lang iniimbestigahan noon. Ako lang ang inaatake ng impeachment case. Hindi na kasali ang nga kasamahan ko sa OVP and mga dati kong kasama sa DepEd. Masagot na ng final kung ano 'yung mga inaakusa nila sa akin,” Duterte said.

(So, it’s okay they filed an impeachment case since I’ll only be the one who's being attacked. I’ll only be the one who's being investigated. I’ll only be the one who is being attacked in the impeachment case. My staff in the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education will no longer be involved. I can finally answer what they are accusing me of.)

The grounds of the impeachment complaint include the issues surrounding the use of confidential funds in her offices and her “assassination” remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez.—AOL, GMA Integrated News