• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Island Region solons were among the 215 members of the House of Representatives, who signed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The signatories from NIR were Abang Lingkod partylist Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano, the designated caretaker of the Negros Occidental 3rd district, Bacolod Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya, Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr. (1st district, Negros Occ), Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, (2nd district, Negros Occ), Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (4tn district, Negros Occ), and Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (6th district, Negros Occ);
Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st district, Negros Oriental), Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria (2nd district, Negros Oriental), and Siquijor Rep. Zaldy Villa.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, also the caretaker of the Negros Oriental 3rd district, was the last solon to sign the impeachment complaints.
The name of Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo (5th district, Negros Occ), was not in the list of solons who supported the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte. He could not be reached for comment, as of last night.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte revolves around six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws, including alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Romualdez; malversation of P612.5M in confidential funds, claimed of bribery and corruption at the Department of Education; unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets, and her alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings (Davao Death Squad).
Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, who came to the rescue of his sister, said he’s “appalled and enraged by the desperate and politically motivated efforts.”
“The sinister maneuvering of certain lawmakers, led by Rep. Garin, to hastily collect signatures and push for the immediate approval and transmittal of this baseless impeachment case is a clear act of political persecution. This administration is treading on dangerous ground,” he wrote in a statement.
“If they were unfazed by the over one million rallying supporters of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, then they are blindly marching toward an even greater storm – one that could shake the very foundation of their rule. The Filipino people will not sit idly by as this government undermines democracy and silences opposition through fabricated accusations,” he added.
Senate Sec. Renato Bantug says the verified impeachment complaint vs. VP Sara Duterte was not tackled during the session on Wednesday, as his office needs to go over the documents transmitted by the House of Representatives first, before reporting it out to the Senate floor
The review is needed before the complaint will be included as among the topics during the plenary, which could happen by June since the Senate’s last regular session ended Wednesday and will resume on June 2.
Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday said any impeachment complaint as well as the establishment of an impeachment court has to be discussed during a regular session.
“There has to be a plenary action first. Everything we do, including the declaration of senators sitting as an impeachment court, needs plenary action. It is the plenary action that will give us the go signal,” Villanueva told reporters.* with PNA reports
