• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod Lone District Representative and Deputy Speaker Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the majority of lawmakers belonging to the Visayan bloc are expected to vote in favor of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Benitez, convenor of the ‘Visayan bloc’ which is composed of more than 40 representatives from the Visayas, disclosed on May 9 that more than 200 members of the House of Representatives are expected to support the impeachment during the May 11 plenary voting.
He added that all the lawmakers from the Negros Island Region are included among those expected to vote for the impeachment.
The region includes six congressional districts in Negros Occidental, three in Negros Oriental, one in Siquijor, and Abang Lingkod Party-list Representative Manuel Frederick Ko, who is also from Negros.
“I am looking at the likelihood that she (VP Sara) will be impeached,” Benitez said.
Benitez, an ex-officio member of the House Committee on Justice, earlier voted in favor of Duterte’s impeachment during committee proceedings.
However, he clarified that the official position of the Visayan bloc would only be known during the plenary voting.
Senator Imee Marcos, an ally of Vice President Duterte, had earlier alleged that lawmakers voting “yes” to the impeachment were being offered a massive incentive package.
Marcos claimed the alleged incentives included cash, additional monthly Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allocations, and projects for lawmakers supporting the impeachment complaint.
Responding to allegations of vote-buying related to the impeachment proceedings, Benitez denied hearing or witnessing any such activity.
“There’s nothing more to talk about regarding those allegations. I have neither seen nor heard of anything like that happening,” he said.
He stressed that the Lower House was focused on determining whether there was sufficient evidence to establish probable cause, not yet a determination of guilt or innocence.
“Based on what we saw during the Justice Committee hearings, there appeared to be substantial evidence and probable cause,” Benitez added.
In a statement, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan warned lawmakers in the House of Representatives that supporting the impeachment of Sara Duterte would carry political consequences, including exclusion from the party’s slate and future electoral support.
The pro-Duterte party said it would respond accordingly to lawmakers who back the impeachment effort.
“PDP will take the same principled stand. Those who vote for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte cannot expect political refuge in PDP,” the party said.
“They will not be allowed to cross over to the party. They will be blacklisted from running under the PDP banner. And where necessary, PDP will field and support a competitive candidate in their district,” it added.
PDP-Laban stressed that its position should not be viewed as intimidation, but as a matter of accountability.*
