‘IMPEACH DUTERTE’ MOVE AFOOT
The complaint, which is the first attempt to oust Duterte since he assumed the presidency in July 2016, faces an uphill battle because the President’s allies hold an overwhelming majority in Congress.
Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano says the complaint he filed at the House of Representatives Solicitor General at around 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 16, alleges that the President violated the constitution and betrayed the public trust with his actions.
Malacañang downplayed the complaint, saying it is “not a cause of concern” and the admin- istration upholds due process.
“It does seem like part of a larger scheme of things. It just seems rather dramatic that everything seems to be so well-coordinated at this stage, with acts of trying to discredit the administration and trying to throw doubt,” Presidiential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
In his petition, Alejano accused Duterte of committing “culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.”
Alejano said all of the acts “constitute proper grounds” for Duterte’s impeachment from the position of the President, according to Section 2 and 3, Article 11 (Accountability of Public Officers) of the 1987 Constitution.
Abella denied that Duterte committed such violation.
“We reiterate that the socalled extrajudicial [killings] are not state-sponsored and the President has made sure that he will not turn a blind eye to all uniformed personnel who will violate and abuse their power,” Abella said.
Abella added that Duterte will not intervene in the affairs of the House of Representatives, when pressed further if the Chief Executive will influence the lawmakers to junk the complaint.
“The President always allows his allies to act independently of him. He has never manipulated in that sense, you know, the political intrigues. Whatever noises are about, he acts, he always respects the independence of his so-called colleagues,” Abella said.
He called on the public to begin “strengthening their backbones and start doing their part in carrying the weight of nation-building,” rather than participating in moves to vilify the President.
We reiterate that the so-called extrajudicial (killings) are not state-sponsored and the President has made sure that he will not turn a blind eye to all uniformed personnel who will violate and abuse their power.
PALACE SPOKESMAN ERNESTO ABELLA
Alejano says Duterte committed culpable violation of Constitution, betrayal of public trust
What do you think about the move to oust Duterte?
We are entitled to our own stupidity. That is stupidity. We know that all the charges are fabricated. They seem to believe their own lies.
HOUSE SPEAKER PANTALEON ALVAREZ
They must be dreaming. They are not even in the league of Don Quixote. Impeachment won’t fly. It will crash lke a rudderless plane flown by witless pilots..
CHIEF PALACE LEGAL COUNSEL SALVADOR PANELO