epoch game Marcos a ‘stumbling block’ to VP Duterte’s impeachment – solons

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers and groups behind the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte believe it is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who caused the delay to the proceedings, as the raps have not moved since they were filed in December 2024.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives condemned the lack of action, saying that the three complaints have languished in the Office of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco for over a month.

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ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel endorsed the second impeachment complaint against Duterte, which was filed by progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).

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“We, the Makabayan bloc representatives, strongly condemn the unprecedented delay in processing the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. Never in the history of Congress have we witnessed impeachment complaints languishing in the Secretary General’s office for more than a month,” Makabayan said.

“President Marcos Jr. has proven himself to be the biggest stumbling block to achieving accountability in corruption cases involving the Vice President’s confidential funds. We must ask: Does this have something to do with his own confidential funds and the system that benefits him and his allies?” they asked.

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According to the three lawmakers, Marcos’ initial statements that impeaching Duterte would be a waste of time may have deterred his allies in the House from supporting the complaints.

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READ: Marcos: VP Duterte unimportant; impeach rap waste of time

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“The hesitation to transmit and initiate impeachment proceedings clearly stems from President Marcos Jr.’s previous statements admitting that he indeed told his allies not to file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte as it was ‘not important’ and won’t make a difference in Filipinos’ lives,” they said.

“This interference represents a dangerous obstruction of constitutional processes and democratic accountability,” they added.

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Currently, three impeachment complaints are lodged before Velasco’s office.  The first one was filed by civil society organization representatives on December 2, 2024  and was endorsed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña. Two days after, Bayan filed its complaint, which was endorsed by Makabayan.

Then on December 19 — a day after the House adjourned its session — religious groups, lawyers, and non-government organizations filed another complaint against Duterte. It was endorsed by Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and Aambis-Owa party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Colada.

According to Velasco, the complaints are still pending with his office as a group of 12 Majority and Minority lawmakers told him that a fourth impeachment complaint would be filed. He also said the possible petitioners target to get the signature of one-third of the House of Representatives, so that the complaint would be forwarded immediately to the Senate.

READ: Some solons looking for endorsers to expedite VP Duterte’s impeachment

Velasco also said that if no new impeachment complaints are filed by Thursday, January 23, he would forward the three raps to the Office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

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READ: Velasco: VP Sara impeach raps to be processed if no new cases are coming

Bayan president Renato Reyes Jr., one of the complainants in the second petition, said that political considerations should not play a part in processing the complaints.

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“The SecGen’s role is ministerial, not discretionary yet not a single complaint has been transmitted to the Speaker for proper referral. Why the delay? It is clearly because of the statements of the President asking Congress not to pursue the impeachment process now. He has repeatedly shown his disdain for impeachment as a mode of accountability for corrupt public officials,” Reyes said in a separate statement.

“As we have said before, political considerations, including the upcoming elections, should not take precedence over the need to hold public officials accountable,” he added.

According to Reyes, the people want to see the impeachment complaints move.

“The stench of corruption involving public funds has angered the people who are reeling from a severe economic crisis. The public wants to see the cases move forward and not be delayed any further,” he added.

Complainants and endorsers of impeachment complaints believe there is a growing public sentiment for Duterte to be removed from office, as a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that 41 percent of Filipinos want her impeached.

READ: 41% for impeach rap, 35% against, 19% undecided

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which was previously under Duterte, have been the subject of a House investigation due to questions on how confidential funds (CF) were utilized.

Some of the questions centered on acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for the CFs as these were signed by a certain Mary Grace Piattos, which Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop said bears a first name similar to a coffee shop and a last name that is a famous potato chip brand.

On a succeeding hearing, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong showed two ARs — one for OVP and another for DepEd — which were both received by a certain Kokoy Villamin.  However, the signatures and handwriting of  Villamin differed.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) eventually said that the names Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin do not exist within their live birth, marriage, and death registry.

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Furthermoreepoch game, the PSA said they have no records of the more than 400 names on the ARs for the DepEd’s CFs.

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