Cendaña, Barbers prefer due process, impeachment complaint to take its course

“God save the Philippines, yes, we agree. God save the Philippines mula sa mga Duterte, lalong-lalo na kay VP Sara Duterte.”

This was Akbayan Rep and first impeachment complaint endorser Perci Cendaña’s reply to Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement earlier today.

Cendaña even warned the vice president against invoking the name of God when she herself had not saved her agencies from corruption.

“Mangilabot naman si VP Sara sa pagsasabi ng God Save the Philippines. Ilang beses nga na hindi niya na-save ang DepEd mula sa corruption. Hindi nga niya na-save ang confidential at intelligence funds mula sa iba't ibang anomalya. Hindi nga niya na-save ang mga mangingisda sa West Philippine Sea. So wala siyang karapatang magsabi at mag-invoke ng "God save the Philippines" dahil sa madaming pagkakataon, she failed to save the Philippines kung kailan kailangang-kailangan as leader of the country,” Cendaña told reporters in an online interview.

The party-list representative also criticized the vice president for her seemingly light treatment of the impeachment complaint filed against her when she likened it to a failed romantic relationship.

“Yung kanyang statement na sinabi niya mas masakit maiwanan ng jowa kaysa ma-impeach, ipinapakita noon kung gaano kababa ang kanyang regard o pagtingin sa public service, kung gaano hindi niya pinapahalagahan ang mandato ng taong bayan at yung ating mga democratic processes. Gusto kong sabihin kay VP Sara, teh, hindi ito usapin ng jowaan. Usapin ito ng public accountability at pananagutan,” Cendaña said.

On the vice president’s denial she hired an assassin to kill the President, the First Lady, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cendaña replied, “Mas lalo lang niyang pinalalim yung kanyang paghukay ng kanyang political grave. So sinabi niya ito on record. May resibo. Nakita ng taong bayan tapos ngayon nagsisinungaling siya. And that makes her more unfit to be vice president of the country.”

Cendaña and Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers both refused to call on Vice President Duterte to resign as both prefer due process to take its course.

Barbers also denied Vice President Duterte’s statement that those who signed the impeachment complaint are defending their decision, and that only those who think they have committed something wrong feel the need to explain.

“Kailangang maliwanagan yung constituents doon sa kanilang district. Yes, may point na hindi naman kailangan mag-explain. Pero pag tinatanong, siguro dapat magpaliwanag,” Barbers told reporters in an online interview.

Barbers also denied that those who signed the impeachment complaint were bribed.

“Walang kapalit. Nagkaroon ng consultation ang mga political parties. Walang kapalit dito. Ang issue rito ay transparency, accountability, at saka rule of law. Kailangang magkaroon tayo ng paninindigan na magkaroon ng hustisya,” Barbers said.

He also mentioned that President Bongbong Marcos never interfered in the affairs of the House of Representatives.

On Vice President Sara Durterte’s call “God save the Philippines,” Barbers said, “It could be a slogan that she’s now using. Everybody naman, bawat nagmamahal na kababayan sa bansa, talaga namang lagi nating pinagdarasal na God save this country from anything that will destroy the Filipino people, anything that will destroy this country.” — BAP, GMA Integrated News