ASEANEWS HEADLINE-COURTS & CRIME | MANILA: VP Sara hit with 2 fresh impeachment complaints
Members of a civil society coalition use a trolley to submit the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at the Office of the House Secretary General yesterday./ Michael Varcas
Two fresh impeachment complaints filed vs. VP Duterte
Madriaga testimony on POGO, drug network included
MANILA, Philippines — Although the one-year bar rule on any impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte was originally set to lapse on Feb. 6, two new cases were filed with the House of Representatives yesterday, one of which includes corruption allegations exposed by Duterte’s alleged former bagman.
The first suit was filed by the Makabayan bloc, while the second one was from civil society group Tindig Pilipinas, led by its co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee – former president Noynoy Aquino’s nephew.
House secretary-general Cheloy Garafil received both complaints.
As per the Supreme Court’s latest decision on the House’s motion for reconsideration, the one-year ban had lapsed last Jan. 15.
The Tindig Pilipinas suit, which had 17 complainants, leveraged the affidavit executed by Duterte’s self-confessed bagman Ramil Madriaga, who claimed her May 2022 campaign was bankrolled by Chinese-operated Philippine offshore gaming operators as well as drug syndicates.
“Madriaga’s testimony warrants a full investigation. His statements corroborate our worst fears about the Vice President’s spending of public funds for personal use. Therefore, it becomes the solemn duty of citizens and public officials alike to seek accountability,” Dee declared.
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Madriaga, currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, had disclosed that Duterte – who he claimed as his close friend – allegedly “instructed” him to deliver large sums of money, apparently derived from dubious sources, to her trusted security aide.
“We have to prove that our democracy is strong enough to hold the Dutertes to account. No dynasty, no sitting official and no office is above the law. The Dutertes’ culture of impunity must end now,” Dee stressed.
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Sylvia Claudio, Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor, told “Storycon” on One News yesterday that they seem to be facing an uphill battle, acknowledging they had better chances last year.“But even during the first filing, my own motivation is really just, ‘is this the right thing to do?’ I honestly think that there has been serious crimes committed and that therefore the Vice President needs to be accountable,” she added.
Duterte has since denied links to Madriaga, but the latter’s lawyer Raymond Palad claims otherwise. He disclosed they have evidence that Duterte visited Madriaga in Camp Bagong Diwa, supposedly to dissuade him from his exposé.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima endorsed the Tindig Pilipinas suit.
“VP Sara must personally answer these cases of corruption and abuse of power. She has not escaped her day of reckoning, she has merely delayed it,” Cendaña said.
“Corruption is corruption regardless of which side of the former UniTeam it comes from. Those involved in the large-scale theft of public funds must be held accountable, whether this involves flood control funds or the misuse of money meant for students,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Makabayan suit was led by three former lawmakers – Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna), France Castro (ACT Teachers) and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela) – and endorsed by Reps. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Renee Louise Co (Kabataan) and Sarah Elago (Gabriela).
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“We will not allow the second highest official of the land any excuse at all. If the one on top of the entire government is corrupt, then this goes all the way down in the entire bureaucracy, this is why she needs to be impeached,” Brosas asserted.
For Ruby Bernardo, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the SC decision on the previous impeachment complaint does not clear Duterte of accountability.
“The ruling does not erase unanswered questions about public money. It does not absolve officials from responsibility, nor does it extinguish the people’s right to demand truth and accountability,” she said.
Ready
Reacting to the new suits, one of Duterte’s lawyers said they were not surprised, emphasizing that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism governed by standards, evidence and due process instead of “perceived public acclaim.”
“We are prepared to confront these allegations squarely through the proper constitutional processes, confident that a fair and impartial review will demonstrate that the accusations are devoid of both factual and legal basis,” Michael Poa said.
Meanwhile, in a statement sent to The STAR, Madriaga’s legal counsel said their client stands ready to fully cooperate with authorities “so that all statements, affidavits and testimonies may be properly examined and vetted through due process.”
“Truth is best tested not through selective denials, but through comprehensive, transparent investigation,” law firm Palad Lauron Palad & Te said.
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Hands off
Sought for comment, Malacañang distanced itself from the latest impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President.
“I believe they are the same, almost the same allegations made even before when the first impeachment complaint was filed. So nothing new, or maybe a little, few,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing yesterday.
“But … we do not have any hand (in it), we are not responsible (for) the filing of those complaints or impeachment complaints. So it’s up to the Congress to evaluate and decide with regard to the subject matter,” the Palace press officer said.
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Malacañang earlier said it respects the SC’s decision that affirmed the unconstitutionality of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte but stressed it does not settle issues on accountability. — Evelyn Macairan, Helen Flores, Mark Ernest Villeza, Janvic Mateo
