MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives should defend its integrity and fight back by impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a lawmaker.
“Ending impunity in the country should be the House leadership’s moral obligation,” Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña said yesterday.
“For each day VP Sara is in office, we are enabling her to undermine our laws and continuously perpetuate her family’s legacy of not answering for their crimes,” he noted.
Cendaña made the call during the “Misa ng Sambayanan: May Kapayapaan kung May Katarungan” (Mass of the masses: There is peace if there is justice) at the EDSA Shrine.
Impeachment complainants, people’s organizations, social movements, sectoral formations and religious leaders attended the mass.
“If we want peace, we must first get justice. We have to reflect, unite and continuously pray as a nation to stop the nightmare brought to us by the Dutertes,” Cendaña said.
“Our dilly-dallying over her impeachment has emboldened the Vice President to pursue the presidency. Just now, her abuse of power is open. We must expect that she will pull us to the deepest quicksand when she wins,” he noted.
Duterte recently said she is “seriously considering” running for president in 2028.
Cendaña endorsed the first of three impeachment complaints filed against Duterte, which outlined culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery and other crimes.
Peach Ribbon Movement launched
Representatives of the three impeachment complaints against Duterte yesterday launched the “Peach Ribbon Movement” to intensify the campaign for her removal from office.
Impeaching Duterte is a “moral obligation to demand accountability from those in power,” said Amando Virgil Ligutan, counsel of the group of lawyers and priests who filed the third complaint.
The Peach Ribbon Movement is a coalition of representatives of the impeachment complaints endorsed by Akbayan, Makabayan and six other congressmen.
“To Congress: honor your constitutional mandate with courage and integrity. History will judge your resolve – or your silence,” the coalition said.
Former senator Leila de Lima, spokesperson for complainants in the first impeachment case, said they are urging Congress to act on their petitions before the adjournment of the 19th Congress.
Congress has allowed several session days to pass by, according to Kiko Dee, grandson of late senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and late president Corazon Aquino.
“We have done our role (by filing the complaints). Now it’s your turn,” Dee said.
A recent Social Weather Station survey revealed that 41 percent of Filipinos support Duterte’s impeachment.
Fr. Joselito Sarabia, one of the complainants in the first impeachment case, said they are encouraging the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and civil society groups to endorse Duterte’s impeachment.
A rally will be held on Saturday at the EDSA Shrine and People Power Monument.
Makabayan and the Clergy for Good Governance will gather at the Manila Cathedral on Jan. 25.
Another rally will be held at Luneta Park on Jan. 31.
Impeachment complainants clarified that yesterday’s activities were not in response to the mammoth rally on Monday of religious sect Iglesia ni Cristo. – Evelyn Macairan