VP Sara Duterte Asks SC To Stop House Impeachment Proceedings, Akbayan Representative Reacts
Akbayan Representative Perci Cendaña reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte filing a petition before the Supreme Court over the impeachment process.
Two (2) impeachment complaints against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte were found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds by the House of Representative’s Committee on Justice. There were initially four (4) impeachment raps filed against the Vice President.
The House Justice panel declared the first impeachment case as violation to the one year rule ban. Thus, the committee set aside the said impeachment rap.
The second impeachment rap filed by Tindig Pilipinas was withdrawn by the complainants. According to the group, they want to avoid procedural delays as they cast their support on the third impeachment complaint filed against the Vice President.
Several grounds were raised against Duterte in the impeachment complaints filed against her. The raps include the questionable P625-million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
After two impeachment complaints against Duterte were found sufficient in grounds by the House Justice panel, the committee immediately set the dates for the proceedings. The Vice President skipped the first impeachment hearing in chamber over the impeachment complaints filed against her.
Atty. Michael Poa, the spokesperson of the legal team of Vice Pres. Duterte, said she is not required to personally attend the hearing. Her camp also questions the constitutionality of the proceedings. The Duterte camp believes that the Senate is the “proper forum” for the impeachment trial.
Here are some of the grounds raised against the Vice President:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte filed a petition before the Supreme Court to stop the House and its justice committee from the impeachment proceedings’ conduct. It immediately earned a reaction from Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña.
The Akbayan Representative is one of the staunch critics of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. In the previous House hearing over the impeachment case, he had been bringing along food with brands that speak of the names linked to the controversial confidential funds issue of the Vice President.
Recently, based on News5, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña claimed that the Duterte camp is allegedly desperate as they fear that the evidence will come out. They are supposedly scared that the truth will come out.
“Alam natin na talagang desperado na sila, natatakot na lumabas ang ebidensya, natatakot na lumabas ang katotohanan. Kasi alam ni VP Sara, paglabas ng ebidensya, wala na siyang takas,” the Akbayan Representative said.
Furthermore, based on the post, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña also claimed that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is allegedly clinging to the Supreme Court. According to him, it shows that the Vice President really has no intention to face the charges against her.
“Ang VP Sara na gipit, sa Supreme Court kumakapit. Confirmed, wala talaga siyang balak harapin ang mga kaso laban sa kanya,” Cendaña said.
Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte hooked attention on social media with her speech in Ifugao wherein she mentioned about roasting crocodiles.