President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has denied any executive branch involvement in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, distancing himself from the process.
“No, the executive cannot have a hand in the impeachment. Walang role ang executive sa impeachment,” Marcos Jr. said during a Palace presser when asked about the filing of the impeachment complaint.
The President stressed that lawmakers acted independently, following their constitutional mandate.
“They will decide how they will proceed. I don’t think you can expect the congressman, or the senator, or the SP, or the Speaker to come to me, ‘Oh, what do you want us to do?’ They have their own way of doing things,” he said.
“I do not give guidance to Congress. Again, you give too much credit that I can tell congressmen to do this, and to do that. I cannot. I do not give guidance to Congress. We are independent of each other.”
Marcos Jr. noted that his House allies initially refrained from filing an impeachment complaint, following his appeal that the timing was unfavorable given the country’s challenges. However, once a complaint was filed, Congress had no choice but to act.
“The House has no choice, the Senate has no choice, kailangan nilang iproseso ang impeachment complaint. And that’s precisely what has happened,” according to him.
On Wednesday, the House formally impeached Duterte, marking the first time a Philippine vice president has faced such charges.
She is accused of culpable violation of the Constitution; bribery, graft and corruption; betrayal of public trust; and other high crimes, including her alleged misuse of confidential funds of her office and the Department of Education.
At least 215 House members backed the impeachment on the final session day before Congress adjourned for the midterm elections.IMT
