Panelo: 'Baseless' Alejano complaint filed for publicity
March 30, 2017 | 2:14pm
Lawyer Salvador Panelo said that the filing of the supplementary complaint is nothing but propaganda and a publicity stunt since it has no basis.
Philstar.com / Denison Rey Dalupang
MANILA, Philippines — The filing of the supplementary impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte is nothing but a propaganda and publicity stunt, his chief legal adviser said Thursday.
"The filing of the complaint is pure nonsense. It's big propaganda for the detractors of the president and good publicity," lawyer Salvador Panelo told ANC in an interview.
He also said that the complaint might not even be accepted since it might be considered a second impeachment complaint. The 1987 Constitution, which allows the removal of certain government officials through impeachment and conviction, holds that "no impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year."
On Thursday, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano filed a supplemental impeachment complaint against the president for supposedly not taking action over Chinese presence in Benham Rise and in the West Philippine Sea.
Alejano said in a press conference Thursday that Duterte's stance on the country's territorial claims is different from his statements during the campaign period, when he promised to defend the territorial claims of the country from China.
The president, who has been working on improving relations with China as part of a new independent foreign policy, has opted not to bring up the dispute in the South China Sea, parts of which the Philippines claims and calls the West Philippine Sea.
He has said that there will be a time to bring up an international tribunal ruling invalidating China's vast "nine-dash line" claim over the resource-rich sea. China, which insists on bilateral talks to resolve disputes, has refused to acknowledge the ruling.
Panelo said that, to him, Alejano's supplemental complaint is simply hearsay as it does not show proof that China violated international laws by entering Philippine waters.
"There is no basis, there is no proof, the grounds is hearsay. What is the grounds for saying that there is a violation?" Panelo added.
The chief presidential legal adviser also said that Alejano only filed the complaint because he wants media attention .
He said the president is "nonchalantly ignoring" the complaints since he believes them baseless.
"It does not affect him, it does not even affect all those people who supported him because the survey says they are supportive of the president," Panelo added.
He also pointed out that the president is the leading figure in Time's online survey of the most influential people in the world.
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