Sara Duterte faces another impeachment rap
Sara Duterte is facing another impeachment rap, making it the second complaint filed against her on Monday, Feb. 2.
The second impeachment complaint against the VP was filed by Tindig Pilipinas and endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Rep. Percy Cendaña.
"Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa sumasagot ng personal si VP Sara Duterte sa mga kaso ng katiwalian, pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan, at pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan," Cendaña told the press. "Ito ay isang mahalagang proseso na pinanghahawakan talaga ng mga kababayan natin para panagutin ang mga nang-abuso sa kapangyarihan."
Earlier in the day, the Makabayan bloc endorsed a formal complaint citing betrayal of public trust. It was submitted by progressive groups.
Duterte's camp: Filing of impeachment raps comes as 'no surprise'
In a statement sent to the media, Duterte's defense team said that the filing of the complaints came as "no surprise."
"As the Supreme Court has recently emphasized, impeachment is 'not merely a political process initiated by mere allegations or by perceived public acclaim shaped by the propagandistic effect of timed press releases or irresponsible viral posts on social media.' It is a constitutional mechanism governed by standards, evidence, and due process," the VP's legal counsel said.
"We are prepared to confront these allegations squarely through the proper constitutional processes, confident that a fair and impartial review will demonstrate that the accusations are devoid of both factual and legal basis," her defense team added.
The fresh complaints were filed against the VP after the Supreme Court declared the articles of impeachment against her as unconstitutional. It affirmed its decision on Jan. 29.
In its July ruling, the SC voided an impeachment complaint against Duterte for the reason that it was transmitted to the Senate without a plenary vote. They also said that the fourth impeachment complaint is barred by the one-year rule in the Constitution because there were three complaints that came ahead of it.
The high court, at the time, noted it was not absolving the VP of the charges.
The House of Representatives appealed to the SC to reconsider its decision the following month. Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez said that they filed a motion for reconsideration with the SC as an "act of duty." He recounted that on Feb. 5, the fourth impeachment complaint, filed and signed by 215 House members, was submitted to the Senate, adding that the three earlier complaints against Duterte had been archived.
Duterte is accused of misusing public funds, amassing unusual wealth, and threatening to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the House Speaker.