Declare stand on Sara’s impeachment, bets told

MANILA, Philippines —  Two members of the “Young Guns” group in the House of Representatives have proposed that all senatorial candidates – administration or opposition – should make known their positions on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Duterte appears to have gone on another trip to Japan amid the looming legal and political storm she might face this year. Her half-sister Veronica Duterte uploaded her photos with the Vice President Wednesday evening, showing their bonding as they tour Japan.

The Office of the Vice President has yet to confirm Duterte’s whereabouts, considering she had also gone to Japan last month.

House Assistant Majority Leader Pammy Zamora and Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, both members of the 11-man prosecution team in the House of Representatives, told journalists at a news briefing that the Senate candidates should make public their stand on issues of transparency, accountability and judicious use of public funds.

“They (Senate bets) should also include in their platforms on how they intend to decide on those who commit what we call culpable violation of the Constitution. This is a big challenge and litmus test as to how strong the values of our candidates have on public service,” Zamora said.

Gutierrez echoed the same sentiment.

“Our take here is that voters should no longer base their preferences on popularity or personality politics. At least now, we already have an issue on how we think our senatorial candidates will fare with regard to the Duterte impeachment complaint,” Gutierrez said.

Former Bayan Muna congressman Neri Colmenares also asked all candidates in the 2025 polls to publicly declare their position on Duterte’s impeachment, emphasizing that accountability for public funds should be a crucial election issue.

Former Supreme Court associate justice Adolfo Azcuna warned yesterday that the impeachment is in danger of being declared invalid, if Senate President Francis Escudero will not act on it during the remaining days of the 19th Congress.

House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union and Manila Rep. Ernix Dionisio said a conviction in one of the seven articles of impeachment is enough to impeach and remove Duterte from her elective position.

The House impeached Duterte on Feb. 5, with 215 lawmakers supporting the motion, surpassing the required one-third vote.

A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is necessary to convict and remove the Vice President from office. If convicted, Duterte would be the first Vice President in Philippine history to be removed through impeachment.

NBI defends raps

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday defended its decision to file a complaint against Duterte, saying it was based on alleged criminal violations and not on her political position.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago emphasized that no one is exempt from the law, rejecting claims that the agency was harassing the Vice President.

Santiago’s statement came after former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo accused the NBI of harassing the Vice President.

On Wednesday, the NBI filed complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Duterte for inciting to sedition and grave threats over her remarks in November 2024 suggesting she ordered someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta and Speaker Martin Romualdez if an alleged plot against her succeeded.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said Sara’s statement directing someone to kill the three if she gets killed has “serious underlying implications.”

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a chance interview in Pasay yesterday that Malacañang is leaving it up to the DOJ to investigate the grave threat and sedition complaints the NBI filed against Duterte, saying the agency has the “fullest autonomy” on the matter.

Yesterday, Duterte expressed her support for the PDP-Laban’s senatorial slate in a carefully worded statement that creates distance between her and the candidates, considering the legal and political storm she is facing.

In a statement shown during the proclamation rally in San Juan City, Duterte said she was one with PDP-Laban’s supporters in aspiring for the success of their advocacies, but was unsure whether her endorsements would harm or bring better chances for the candidates’ bids.  – Neil Jayson Servallos, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mark Ernest Villeza, Alexis Romero