4th impeachment complaint vs VP Duterte still a possibility--House exec

Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

Vice President Sara Duterte's recent removal as a member of the National Security Council (NSC) could be followed by the filing of a fourth impeachment complaint against her.

This, after Secretary General Reginald Velasco insisted that some members of the majority bloc in the House of Representatives intend to file such complaint against the Vice President.

“Ilang miyembro ng mayorya sa Kongreso ang nagpahiwatig na maghahain ng ika-apat na impeachment complaint laban sa Bise Presidente," said Velasco, the highest-ranked civilian official in the House of Representatives.  

(Some members of the majority in Congress have expressed their interion to file a fourth impeachment complaint against the Vice President.)

A rumor earlier this week said that junior solons under the Young Guns faction were planning to carry out the filing. This has since been denied. 

Velasco declined to name the legislators from the majority who shared their intent to file new impeachment raps.

“Actually, ang gusto nga ng ilan umusad na kahit isa lang sa naunang tatlong impeachment complaint laban kay VP pero hindi ba ayaw na ni PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) ito ituloy?” Velasco added.

(Actually, what the others want is for one of the first three impeachment complaints against VP to move forward, but hasn't PBBM rejected this?)

But congressmen or House members aren't under the executive branch, meaning the President can't order them to do or not do anything.

It was only last week when Marcos yanked Vice President Duterte from the NSC. According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin the President merely implemented a reorganization of the council.

“The reorganization is a presidential prerogative ang nobody should question about that,” Bersamin said.

A group composed of civil society figureheads led by former senator Lima filed the first impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte on Dec. 2. It was endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña. 

Just two days later, on Dec. 4, a second impeachment complaint was filed agaisnt the lady official, this time by members of progressive groups. This was endorsed by Makabayan bloc members ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. 

A group mostly composed of priests and lawyers then trooped to the House of Representatives to file third complaint on Dec. 19. Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Lex Anthony Cris Colada endorsed the latest impeachment rap.

So far, all solon-endorsers have come from the House minority bloc.

The impeachment complaints against the Vice President were partly triggered by her apparent inability to explain how her office spent P125 million in confidential funds in a span of just 11 days in December 2022.