As many as 215 representatives have already signified their intention to sign the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as of Thursday and subject her to a full trial by the Senate.
Members House of Representatives (HoR) confirmed that as many signatures as last year’s impeachment have already been gathered even before the plenary debates scheduled on Monday.
The number had also been confirmed by Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, saying: “Around 215 votes are already in. The number is from ongoing consultations [among HoR members],” he said.
Different party whips also revealed that majority of their members have signified their intention to approve the articles of impeachment. Lakas (Strength) Party Zia Alonto Adiong said that 60 out of their 69 members are on the list, National Unification Party leader Ronnie Puno said that 30 out of their 55 are in the affirmative, and Party-list Coalition Foundation leader Jude Acidre said that 47 representatives have said yes to impeaching Duterte.
The number surpasses the minimum number of 106, one third of the total number of members, required to impeach Duterte for the second straight year; 215 is 67.61% of the 318-member HoR.
Based on last year’s procedure, any HoR member may move to do away with the plenary debates and send the articles of impeachment straight to the Senate.
Duterte-allied legislators are expected to object and drag the process to a lengthy debate. But they are likely to fail given that they number less than a dozen at the moment.
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos, sister to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. alleged that members of the CoJ were bribed into voting to approve its resolution finding grounds to impeach the vice president.
Ridon was quick to deny the allegation, quipping: “Is she a member of the committee? Without proof, she is merely peddling lies.”
At The Hague, Duterte waxed fatalistic, invoking God’s will on her impeachment troubles.
“Everything that happens in the life of a person is written by God,” Duterte said outside the International Criminal Court Detention Center after visiting her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
She added that she did not want to become president anyway and is not fixated on becoming one.
Duterte announced her candidacy in the next Philippine presidential elections in 2028 at the start of the impeachment proceedings against her at the HoR. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
