Duterte Allies' Impeachment Bid vs Marcos Stalls at the House


 

Allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte made a bold move on Thursday, attempting to file an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the House of Representatives. The complaint alleges that Marcos allowed the "illegal arrest and transfer" of Duterte to face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, their efforts were thwarted when they were unable to file the complaint due to the Office of the Secretary General's unavailability.

The would-be complainants, former party list Rep. Ronald Cardema and his wife, Duceille Marie Cardema, arrived at the Office of the Secretary General at 3:20 p.m. but were told that only House Secretary General Reginald Velasco could receive the complaint. Despite waiting until the end of business hours, they left without filing the complaint.

According to the Cardemas, the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings state that a verified complaint for impeachment can be filed with the Office of the Secretary-General. "It does not state that it should be the Head of Office himself. It is [the] ministerial duty for any government office to receive documents," they said.

The impeachment complaint alleges that Marcos was guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by allowing Duterte to be arrested by the Interpol despite the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute that established the ICC. The complaint argues that the President's actions "ceded sovereign control over a domestic legal matter to an international body that no longer holds jurisdiction over the Philippines."

Speaker Martin Romualdez said that even if the complaint had been filed, it would still have to wait until Congress resumes session on June 2. "We're not in session right now so not much can be done," he said.

The Cardemas' efforts are seen as a move to push back against the Marcos administration's actions, which they claim are detrimental to the country's sovereignty. However, international legal experts are split on whether the arrest was indeed valid.

Reshuff PH

Latest News In The Philippines brought to you by Philippine Daily Inquirer

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Duterte Loyalists Furious as Sara Backs Marcos, Villar in Political Storm A family feud is brewing in Philippine politics as Vice President Sara Duterte's surprise endorsement of Senator Imee Marcos and House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar has triggered outrage among her father's staunchest supporters. The shock move has created a visible crack in the once-solid Duterte political machine. Former President Rodrigo Duterte's allies are now openly questioning his daughter's loyalty just months before critical elections. "While some supporters may vote for Marcos and Villar out of respect for Duterte's influence, differences in political alignment remain a source of tension," said former presidential spokesman Harry Roque in a stark assessment of the situation. The Vice President admitted her endorsement was a personal decision. But this explanation hasn't calmed the growing storm among Duterte loyalists who fear she's aligning with figures who might l...
Read more

Philippines Impeachment Drama Explodes: “We Lost Mindanao Because of This”

Image
The bombshell admission came like a thunderclap.  “We shot ourselves in the foot,”  said Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, campaign manager for the Alyansa alliance. His verdict? The push to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte wasn’t just a misstep—it was a  “self-inflicted wound”   that cost them crucial votes in Mindanao. “ The moment the impeachment hit Congress, Mindanao turned against us ,” Tiangco told radio DZBB. Voters, he claimed, abandoned Alyansa candidates to protect Duterte.  “They chose leaders who’d block her removal. We never saw it coming.” The numbers sting. Over 200 House members backed impeaching Duterte—the first VP in Philippine history to face such a trial. But Tiangco insists the move backfired:  “Why force it? The Senate won’t act until June. Now they blame ME for our losses?” “No Public Demand for Impeachment” Tiangco refused to sign the February 5 impeachment articles.  “This was avoidable,”  he argued.  “Who created thi...
Read more