House panel vows fairness in VP impeach proceedings
The House justice committee will ensure fairness in the enforcement of rules regarding impeachment proceedings as it prepares to take up the complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon said on Saturday.
The House panel will tackle the four impeachment complaints against Duterte starting March 2 to determine if there is sufficiency in form and substance.
“Of course, the commitment of the House committee on justice is that we will implement all of the relevant rules on impeachment, like how they were implemented in previous impeachment proceedings [like the one involving] President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” Ridon, who is a panel member, said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
Members’ commitment
“It is also the commitment of the committee to be fair in the implementation of its mandate,” he added.
The two impeachment complaints against Mr. Marcos were officially dismissed by the chamber on Feb. 11 for being insufficient in substance.
As for the impeachment complaints against Duterte, these were filed separately by the Makabayan coalition, composed of the Kabataan, Gabriela and ACT Teachers party list groups, lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera and civil society groups.
The vice president is facing allegations of betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft and corruption, including the misuse of P612 million in confidential funds. The complaint filed by Cabrera also cites the threats allegedly made by Duterte against Mr. Marcos, first lady Liza Aranaeta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Ridon said it is up to the camp of Duterte if she would attend the proceedings.
“We are giving the Vice President the right to show [up] or not show [up] in our proceedings,” he said.
“It all depends on how the defense of the Vice President will be laid out. It is up to them to decide if her attendance will be helpful to their case,” Ridon told reporters.
House justice committee chair and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro earlier said that Duterte will be invited to the hearings only if the complaints against her are determined to be sufficient in form and substance.
Whether or not she decides to attend, however, is her prerogative, Luistro added.
Should the complaints be found sufficient in form and substance, Duterte will be asked to file an answer within 10 calendar days.
