MANILA – The House of Representatives on Wednesday (Feb. 5) impeached Vice President Sara Duterte and immediately transmitted the complaint to the Senate, with over 200 lawmakers supporting the move.
During the plenary session, Secretary General Reginald Velasco said at least 215 members of the House had verified and sworn before him in support of the fourth impeachment complaint.
House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe said the number of endorsers exceeded the one-third threshold required under the Constitution and House rules on impeachment proceedings.
“Mr. Speaker, for the record, in consonance with the Constitution on Article 11 on accountability of public officers, particularly Section 3, paragraph 4, and pursuant to Section 14, Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings, which provides as follows: endorsement of the complaint resolution to the Senate. A verified complaint resolution of impeachment filed by at least one-third of all the members of the House shall constitute the articles of impeachment,” Dalipe said.
“And consistent with our rules, I move that the Secretary-General be directed immediately to endorse the same to the Senate,” he added.
Speaker Martin Romualdez approved the motion to transmit the impeachment complaint to the Senate.
“There is a motion to direct the Secretary-General to immediately endorse to the Senate the impeachment complaint. Having been filed by more than one-third of the membership of the House, or a total of 215 members, is there any objection? The Chair hears none. The motion is approved. The Secretary-General is so directed,” Romualdez said.
With the plenary’s approval, the impeachment complaint has now been officially transmitted to the Senate, where the trial will be conducted.
Meanwhile, the three other impeachment complaints filed against Duterte last December will be archived, the House leadership said.
The House also appointed 11 members to serve as prosecutors in the impeachment trial, namely Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Rep. Romeo Acop, Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Rep. Joel Chua, Rep. Raul Angelo “Jil” Bongalon, Rep. Loreto Acharon, Rep. Marcelino Libanan, Rep. Arnan Panaligan, Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Rep. Lorenz Defensor, and Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte revolves around six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws.
Source: PNA
