Sara impeach raps advance; evidence and witnesses next
The House panel evaluating the two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte has declared both as having “sufficient grounds,” a basis to proceed to the more thorough presentation and scrutiny of the accusations against her.
The House committee on justice set the next step—the hearing proper—for March 25, where the Vice President will be invited to attend.
The panel reached the decision unanimously on Wednesday, two days after Duterte filed her answer to the complaints, accusing the committee of double standard and disregarding due process.
In media statements on Tuesday, several committee members, along with the chair, noted that Duterte’s filing did not actually address the issues raised against her, such as her alleged misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, and hiring of an assassin to kill President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Process sped up
The process also appeared to have been sped up by the decision of the impeachment complainants from civil society to no longer file a reply, as they shared the view that Duterte merely evaded the charges.
To open Wednesday’s proceedings, the committee chair, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said that since the complainants had waived their right to reply, the body may already proceed to determining sufficiency of ground.
“Today’s agenda is simple, yet heavy with consequence. We reiterate that we are not here to decide guilt or innocence. This is not a trial […] We are here for one question, one question only: is there sufficient basis to continue the process of impeachment?’’ Luistro said.
“Let us be clear, today is not about judgment. Today is about justification,” she stressed.
Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor moved to declare the first complaint sufficient in ground, while Deputy Speaker Janette Garin did the same regarding the second complaint.
Both motions were seconded and no objections came from the more than 20 committee members in attendance.
On March 4, 54 committee members present voted to declare the two complaints sufficient in substance.
Only one member, Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay voted against it. Suntay was absent during Wednesday’s deliberations.
After the March 25 hearing, subsequent hearings for the presentation of evidence and witnesses are scheduled for April 14, April 22, and April 29, Luistro announced to the committee.
Main difference
In a message to the Inquirer, one of the members, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, explained that the main difference between a finding of sufficiency of substance and of sufficiency of grounds is that the latter “incorporates the respondent’s answer and other pleadings.”
“The ‘substance’ is just based on the complaint; the ‘grounds’ [factor in] the answer, reply and rejoinder to determine if it can move on to the next stage,” Ridon said.
Under the House impeachment rules set by the previous (19th) Congress, which the current legislature has adopted, a complaint undergoes five main stages under the justice committee:
• Filing and referral to the committee on justice
• Determination of sufficiency in form and substance
• Determination of sufficiency in grounds
• Hearing for the presentation of evidence and witnesses
• Crafting of report and recommendation to the plenary
‘Fundamental defect’
In a statement later on Wednesday, the Vice President’s legal team stood pat on its contention that the impeachment complaints were based on accusations that remained unsupported by evidence.
“Our position remains unchanged,” said Michael Poa, the team’s spokesperson. “The complaints suffer from a fundamental defect. They are built on conclusions, speculation and narratives that are not anchored on the ultimate facts required under the Constitution and the Rules.”
The House justice committee, Poa said, continued to give weight to “accusations in search of evidence, not evidence in support of accusations.”
The Duterte legal team reiterated that impeachment proceedings must be “governed not by any political agenda.”
Diokno petition
Meanwhile, the House justice committee formally received a petition by Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno to have Ramil Madriaga, a man currently detained on kidnapping charges but who claimed to have served as a “bagman” or cash courier for Duterte, under the chamber’s protective custody.
Should the petition be granted and survive legal challenges, Madriaga will be transferred from a Taguig City jail to the House’s custody as a potential witness against the Vice President.
Luistro said the panel will act on Diokno’s petition at the start of the March 25 hearing. —WITH A REPORT FROM DEMPSEY REYES
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