President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is not obstructing any impeachment moves against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
During a press briefing on Friday, Bersamin dismissed claims by the Makabayan bloc that Marcos was deliberately blocking the impeachment process.
“The President has expressed his position, but he is not blocking the move. He cannot do that,” Bersamin explained. “It is within the discretion of the lower house. If they decide to initiate impeachment proceedings, there’s no way to stop it.”
Makabayan Bloc Alleges Delays
The Makabayan bloc, represented by ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, issued a joint statement criticizing the “unprecedented delay” in processing impeachment complaints.
They accused President Marcos of instructing his allies not to file complaints, claiming it was “not important” and irrelevant to the lives of Filipinos.
“President Marcos Jr. has become the biggest obstacle to holding Vice President Sara Duterte accountable for corruption allegations involving her confidential funds,” the bloc said. “We must ask: does this hesitation tie back to his own use of confidential funds and the system benefiting him and his allies?”
Status of Impeachment Complaints
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed that three impeachment complaints against Duterte had been verified, with the possibility of a fourth one being filed. Velasco noted that he had delayed transmitting the complaints to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to give a group of lawmakers time to decide whether to file a fourth complaint or endorse one of the existing ones.
However, Velasco acknowledged that some lawmakers appeared to be in a “wait-and-see” mode, particularly following a recent Iglesia Ni Cristo rally.
Impeachment Process in Question
During a pro-impeachment rally last Saturday, Rep. Castro argued that the President’s remarks undermined the effort to impeach Duterte. She dismissed the claim that there was insufficient time for impeachment, pointing out that the complaints had been filed since December.
Complainants emphasized that an impeachment will only materialize within the year if both the House of Representatives and the Senate fully support the process.
Reactions from Duterte and Marcos
President Marcos previously stated that impeachment proceedings would not improve the lives of Filipinos, adding that now is not the right time for such a process.
Vice President Duterte, on the other hand, expressed her willingness to face impeachment complaints. She said the process would allow her to address the allegations and clarify that her colleagues in the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education were not implicated.