By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Leni Robredo scoffed at a Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) official for suggesting she can be impeached for supporting a United Nations resolution to probe the human rights situation in the country.
Vice President Leni Robredo (Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Robredo, a lawyer and leader of the opposition, was apparently not provoked by PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna’s impeachment threat.
In a media interview in Bohol, the highest-ranking woman in government said she would not respond to the remarks by Luna until she briefly reacted about her possible impeachment.
“Hindi na. Hindi ko na…(No comment),” Robredo told reporters on the sidelines of an Angat Buhay activity held in Panglao, Bohol.
Pressed for answer, the Vice President smiled and repeated the same reply.
“Hindi ko na iyon ko-comment-an, kasi wala namang—hindi naman siya mahalaga (I won’t comment on that because there’s nothing – it’s not important)," she said.
Robredo is unfazed by the PACC’s threat she could face an impeachment complaint for her “expression of support” for the UN Human Rights Commission resolution against the Philippines.
The UNHRC adopted an Iceland resolution, approved by 18 out of its 47 members.
“For the nth time, she has made it appear that the government is guilty of human rights abuses, and that’s betrayal of public trust. It’s about time that she should be held to account for her political sins against the Filipino people,” Luna said.
“It’s about time that she should be held to account for her political sins against the Filipino people,” he added.
In an interview over ANC Monday, the PACC commissioner asked Robredo to temper her statements.
“It’s a warning so she can also think it over, that she has to temper her statements. Although I respect her, she’s a politician, she’s a lawyer like me but she has to temper her statements,” he said.
But Robredo’s legal counsel and spokesman Barry Gutierrez refuted his claim. He explained Robredo could not be found guilty of betraying public trust because the Philippines is a member of the UNHRC.
“When you speak of betrayal of public trust, one of the basis for an impeachment, is usually about the violation of the oath of office. Which part of the oath of office was violated? We are a member of the human rights council,” he said.