Protesters gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Friday, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte and pushing for the passage of a wage hike bill before Congress adjourns next week.
Calls for Immediate Impeachment Proceedings
Bayan Secretary-General Mong Palatino urged lawmakers to act swiftly.
“Since Congress sessions will end next week, we demand that impeachment complaints be immediately transmitted to the Speaker’s Office and for the House of Representatives to endorse it,” Palatino told GMA News Online.
On January 10, House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco confirmed that all three impeachment complaints against Duterte had been verified.
The complaints center on:
- Use of confidential funds in her offices
- Alleged assassination remarks against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez
Despite the charges, Duterte welcomed the impeachment case, stating:
“So, okay din ‘yung impeachment case dahil ako lang ang tinitira doon, ako lang iniimbestigahan noon. Ako lang ang inaatake ng impeachment case.”
She emphasized that the case would allow her to finally address the accusations.
Wage Hike and Government Accountability
Beyond impeachment, protesters pushed for a P200 across-the-board daily wage increase for private sector workers.
On Thursday, the House Committee on Labor and Employment approved the wage hike proposal following deliberations with labor groups and lawmakers.
Bayan Chairperson Teddy Casiño also called for:
- Accountability for past and present officials
- Prosecution of former President Rodrigo Duterte by both the International Criminal Court (ICC) and local courts
- Abolition of intelligence and confidential funds
- Ending the pork barrel system to curb corruption in government projects
“No to ghost projects, kickbacks, and commissions! No to vote-buying and ayuda politics!” Casiño declared.
As the protestors rallied for change, the fate of Duterte’s impeachment and the wage hike bill now rests in the hands of Congress.