PDP-Laban mulls backing impeach complaint vs Leni

The pro- administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan ( PDP- Laban) will review the impeachment charge filed by lawyer Oliver Lozano to determine if it can stand trial in the Senate.

Since the complaint was coursed through the office of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of the House of Representatives, PDP- Laban deputy secretary general Benito Ranque said the party will have the opportunity to study the complaint.

“PDP-Laban has more than 100 members in the House of Representatives aside from allies from other parties who can endorse articles of impeachment direct to the Senate,” he said.

Ranque, however, echoed the statements of Alvarez that any impeachment charge must be airtight and can stand the impeachment trial in the Senate.

Aside from possible filing of impeachment charge against Robredo, PDP-Laban and its allies in Congress had closed ranks to counter a “creeping impeachment” being initiated by Mag- dalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano to oust President Duterte.

“We will give the Magdalo party- list group a dose of their own medicine, we will also devote our time in rallying support from party members and allies for the impeachment of ( Vice President Leni) Robredo; it will be choice between the Vice President and ( the) President,” he said.

Ranque said the impeachment initiated by the Magdalo group could be a prelude to a bigger scenario as what had been done against former president Gloria Arroyo.

He reminded the Magdalo group that President Duterte is enjoying the support of the people and any destabilization attempt will have no support from the Filipino people.

A group of volunteer lawyers is now preparing articles of impeachment against Robredo when Congress resumes session on May 2.

“By that time PDP-Laban and its allies may have already the signatures of congressmen needed for the direct filing of articles of impeachment to the Senate impeachment court,” Ranque said.

Much ado over ‘palit ulo’

Robredo is facing an impeachment complaint over her statements against Duterte’s war on drugs.

In a video message to the United Nations conference in Austria, Robredo revealed a “palit- ulo” scheme by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its campaign against drugs.

The “palit- ulo,” literally meaning changing heads, is where authorities would instead take a family member if the original person in the drug list cannot be found.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno denied Robredo’s claims.

“What ‘ palit- ulo’? There is no such thing as ‘ palit- ulo’ in the anti- drugs operations of the PNP. I respectfully request the Vice President to please corroborate her statement,” Sueno said.

Sueno urged Robredo to show concrete evidence about the scheme.

“It would help if Vice President Robredo presents to us solid proof about this so-called ‘palit ulo’ scheme so we can act on it immediately,” he said.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa admitted some police operatives employed palit ulo, although an altogether different scheme – an arrested street peddler can get a lighter offense if he or she will point to suppliers.

On Robredo’s supposed request letter, Sueno said it was forwarded to Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, who in turn, sent the request to the PNP.

“The PNP is not hiding anything. In fact, we have always been transparent about Oplan Tokhang and we have been providing the public regular updates about Tokhang operations through the media,” Sueno said.

Dela Rosa, for his part, maintained the letter request from the Vice President did not reach his desk.

“I did not read any such letter since in the first place, it was addressed to Secretary Sueno. It was not placed at my desk, there was no copy furnished indicated. (Probably) it was sent to the message center,” Dela Rosa said.

Robredo lamented that her requests for data on the war on drugs were ignored by the PNP and the DILG.