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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

‘Not enough support yet for 3 impeach VP raps’

House exec says timing tight as Congress goes on break Feb. 8

The three impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte do not have enough supporters yet at the House of Representatives with only six lawmakers supporting these so far, the Lower Chamber’s secretary-general Reginald Velasco said.

Velasco said some House members have also asked him to wait for a possible fourth impeachment complaint before endorsing these to the Office of the Speaker so that the complaints can be consolidated.

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“Our problem is that if we file the first three complaints now, they may not be entertained because only six congressmen are supporting them so far,” he said.

The votes of at least one third of House members or 103 lawmakers are needed to enable a verified impeachment complaint to be automatically elevated to the Senate.

“With the present support of only six lawmakers, the complaints will not prosper. Even if these go to the Committee on Justice, they will need a simple majority of the members. It is quite difficult to muster the necessary votes at the House in both the plenary and the Committee on Justice,” Velasco added.

Velasco said he is not sure if a consolidated complaint can still be processed given that Congress goes on break on February 8 for the election campaign period.

The three impeachment raps cited Duterte’s alleged violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, plunder and malversation, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the timing of the impeachment moves against the Vice President was “very poor” given the looming campaign season.

“Even if Congress is mandated — the House and Senate do not have a choice once these impeachment complaints are filed — I don’t think now is the time to do that. And besides, as a practical matter, we are entering the campaign period.”

“There are no congressmen, no senators because they are already campaigning. We will not be able to form a quorum. The timing is very poor,” Mr. Marcos added.

As this developed, Filipinos from various political groups gathered at the EDSA People Power Monument on Saturday to press for the impeachment of Duterte.

ACT party-list Rep. France Castro lamented that the complaints have been filed for more than a month now but these have yet to be endorsed to the Speaker’s office.

“A problem arose because the House is also weighing the numbers in the Senate if there are enough votes to convict Sara Duterte,” she said.

“The President also said the timing of the impeachment is very poor. But holding abusive officials accountable knows no timing,” Castro added.

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