House urged: Act on 3 impeach complaints vs VP

MANILA, Philippines — The groups that filed the first two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte have welcomed the filing of the third, and asked the House of Representatives to act swiftly on the three cases.

The Makabayan and Akbayan party-lists made the call after a group of clergy and lawyers filed on Thursday the third and possibly last impeachment case against Duterte, citing as grounds her alleged anomalous disbursement of her confidential funds amounting to more than P600 million.

In a statement, Makabayan bloc Reps. France Castro (ACT Teachers), Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s party) and Raoul Manuel (Kabataan) said the filing of the third impeachment complaint has strengthened the call for accountability for misuse of taxpayers’ money like confidential funds.

“The filing of three separate impeachment complaints from various sectors of society shows the gravity of VP Sara Duterte’s misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds. We can no longer allow this kind of grave abuse of public funds to pass,” Castro said.

For her part, Brosas said the House, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez, must immediately act on all three impeachment complaint against Duterte.

“Each day passing that we do not act on this is another day of impunity. The Filipino people deserve to know the truth about how their hard-earned tax money was spent,” Brosas said.

She said it is the constitutional duty of the House to gather enough votes to bring the case to the Senate so that trial can begin at the soonest possible time.

“Then public and private prosecutors would present the case before the Senate impeachment court,” Brosas said.

For his part, Manuel said the allegations against Duterte are serious, including failure to provide documentary evidence, the use of fictitious names on acknowledgment receipts and deliberate concealment of actual intelligence gathering activities.

“These are not mere technical violations but point to systematic corruption and betrayal of public trust,” Manuel said.

“We remind VP Sara Duterte that her previous statement welcoming these impeachment complaints should translate to full cooperation with the impeachment process,” he added.

Manuel said Duterte should face all the allegations against her with “honesty, without deception” as she had promised.

“The entire nation is watching the House of Representatives as the clamor for accountability grows,” Manuel said.

“This should not end the way previous impeachment complaints were just filed. The complaint is a just and legal option that should not be held hostage by electoral considerations,” he added.

Akbayan, for its part, said it welcomes the filing of the third complaint against Duterte, as “any initiative from our citizens to hold VP Duterte accountable is an encouraging development.” It was Akbayan which endorsed the first complaint.

“We must lift the blanket of fear foisted on us by the Duterte family that has prevented many from speaking out against their abuses. We urge other groups and individuals to join efforts in holding Sara Duterte and her allies accountable for their crimes in all legal avenues available to us,” Akbayan added.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said they received the verified third complaint at past noon Thursday.

The complainants include Fr. Antonio Labiao and Fr. Joel Saballa of the Diocese of Novaliches; Carmelite priests Fr. Rico Ponce, Fr. Dionisio Ramos and Fr. Esmeraldo Reforeal; Fr. Daniel Pilario of the Congregation of Mission; Simon Serrano, founder of Stop Corruption Philippines; Wilfredo Villanueva, lead founder of the Stand Up for God Rosary Group and member Pinky Tam; Maria Loreto Lopez, co-founder of the Matina Community Pantry and lawyer Shanelle Aubrey Gianina Gomez.