Solons in 'wait and see' mode on impeach moves vs. VP Sara after INC rally —House Sec-Gen

House Secretary-General Reginald Vasco said some lawmakers appear to be in the "wait and see" mode on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte following the rally of Iglesia Ni Cristo on Monday.

According to a report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on "24 Oras," Velasco said the fourth impeachment complaint has yet to be filed.

"It's wait and see especially with the rally of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. I think that will be taken into account by the House members concerned," Velasco said.

Asked what he meant by wait and see, he explained, "Wait and see whether they will really file another complaint or not, then i’ll be forced to transmit these three complaints to the Office of the Speaker."

"I think next week would be a fair time for them to decide. Then I may be forced to transmit whatever complaints that I have received to the Speaker by next week," Velasco said.

Around 1.58 million showed up at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila for the rally organized by the INC, but which it said was not political even if it meant to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s stance against impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc who endorsed one of the complaints appeared undaunted by the mass mobilization.

“Kahit pa sabihin mong 1.5 million yan na lumabas, it's not the totality ng Filipino people asking for justice doon sa mga nangyari o naganap na paglustay ng pera ng taongbayan,” said Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas.

“Sa pagkausap natin sa ating mga kasamahan dito sa Kongreso, well, wala rin naman silang pakialam. At on the top of their mind pa rin, yung impeachment,” added ACT Teacher’s party-list Rep. France Castro.

The National Rally for Peace by the INC did not change President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s position against efforts to impeach Duterte, Malacañang had said.

"The President's position on the impeachment move in the HoR (House of Representatives) has not changed," Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said when asked if the massive rally had any effect on the President's belief that Duterte should not be impeached.

In November, Marcos said an impeachment plan would not benefit the lives of Filipinos.

“This is not important. This does not make any difference to even one, single Filipino life, so why waste time on this?” Marcos had said.

The three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte are still pending at the House Secretary General's Office.  Reports have said that a fourth one is forthcoming.

Congressmen are aiming for no less than 103 endorsements or over 1/3 of all House members to pursue the complaint.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News