Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

The Makabayan bloc is poised to endorse a second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives following it's expected filing by several people’s organizations “within this week”.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, a member of the militant faction, said the date of the filing is still tentative given the number of organizations who are seeking to be  among the complainants.

“Gano’n na talaga kapursigido ang iba’t ibang mga sectors na maging bahagi ng formal proceedings ng impeachment,” Manuel said in a press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

(That's how determined the different sectors are to be part of the formal impeachment proceedings.)

“Gusto rin talaga naming ma-entertain sila whether mga youth leaders ‘yan, urban poor, religious sector, at iba pa para mapasama kapag na-file natin malapad po ‘yung representation ng iba’t ibang grupo,” he added.

(We also really want to entertain them whether they are youth leaders, urban poor, religious sector, and others so that when we file the representation of various groups will be wide-ranging.)

But reports said the filing could happen as early as Wednesday, Dec. 4.

According to Manuel, the public is becoming more aware of the alleged misuse of confidential funds and other anomalies supposedly linked to the Vice President.

He says Duterte’s time of reckoning is imminent as more and more Filipinos will start to demand answers.

“Nakita nila na hindi forever dapat na untouchable ang mga opisyal, may hangganan sa kanilang impunity,” the lawmaker said.

(They realize that officials should not be untouchable forever, there is a limit to their impunity.)

While he didn’t specify the articles of impeachment, Manuel noted that the complaint Makabayan was set to endorse will also be grounded on the alleged anomalies in the regular funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) under Duterte’s term as secretary.

The Kabataan solon also cited the Vice President’s failure to explain how the funds were used and her supposed disrespect of the separation of powers by neglecting recent House summons.

Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds  both OVP and DepEd is the subject of the ongoing inquiry by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

“Naupo siya, gumawa ng mali, kung hindi naman na dapat pang magtagal eh ‘di dapat nang matanggal,” Manuel said.

(She started her term, committed mistakes, and if she doesn’t deserve to stay there anymore, then she should be removed.)

On Monday, various civil society groups filed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte. It was endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña.

Unlikely to succeed?

Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda, for his part, expressed skepticism that the impeachment complaint against the Vice President will prosper in the lower chamber.

“There will be no impeachment. We will follow the advice of the President,” said Salceda, chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The congressman is referring to a leaked private message sent by President Marcos urging lawmakers not to pursue an impeachment.

Marcos earlier argued that an impeachment will not “make a difference to even one single Filipino life”.

Salceda, an economist, said the impeachment could distract from more pressing matters such as the approval of the proposed national budget for 2025.