Ranking congressmen came out to defend House Speaker Martin Romualdez's actions in connection with the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte--the same complaint that the Senate effectively shelved.

Senior Deputy Speaker Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-Jay" Suarez, Deputy Speaker La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V, Deputy Majority Leader Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun, and Tingong Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre all took up the cudgels for Romualdez Thursday morning, Aug. 7.

Suarez said Speaker Romualdez “acted well within the Constitution” when he presided over the transmittal of articles of impeachment against the Vice President last Feb. 5.

"It is unfortunate that he is being vilified for upholding a process that the Constitution entrusts to the House," Suarez said.

“What we are seeing here is not a call for accountability. It’s a classic deflection from the real issues raised in the impeachment case. The Senate’s decision to archive the complaint does not erase the people’s demand for answers," he said, in reference to the senators' ultimate action on the impeachment complaint on Wednesday night, Aug. 6.

Ortega emphasized that Romualdez simply carried out his role as presiding officer of the House, and only after the impeachment rap had garnered the constitutionally required one-third vote did he transmit the complaint to the Senate.

“The Speaker did not act alone. This was a collective institutional decision—one rooted in the Constitution,” Ortega clarified.

“Calls for his removal overlook that fact and risk personalizing what is, at its core, a constitutional process. Let us set aside divisiveness and stand by the rule of law...We must not allow a legitimate constitutional process like impeachment to be dragged into a political circus,” he added.

Khonghun also defended the House’s handling of the impeachment process, and said the transmittal of the articles of i peachment against the Vice President went through proper deliberations and was ratified in plenary.

“We don’t play fast and loose with the rules. Hindi ito parang padalos-dalos na desisyon (This wasn't a rushed decision). The Speaker merely carried out the mandate of the chamber,” he said.

Khonghun stressed Romualdez was not the instigator of the case. “Hindi si Speaker ang may reklamo. Hindi siya ang naglilitis. Ang ginawa niya ay trabaho niya. Ginampanan lang niya ang tungkulin bilang lider ng Kamara (The Speaker wasn't the complainant. He doesn't prosecute. He only did his job. He fulfilled his role as leader of the House)."

Khonghun also warned that politicizing the Speaker’s role in the process only distracts from the more pressing issues raised in the impeachment complaint.

“If we want to talk about accountability, then let’s talk about the allegations in the complaint," he said.

Acidre echoed his colleagues' statements as he appealed to the Senate to "not twist the narrative".

“The House did its job, and we followed the process. Kung may dapat magpaliwanag ngayon, hindi ang Kamara kundi ang Senado (If somebody has something to explain, it's not the House but Congress). You can’t defend one branch of government by attacking another,” Acidre said.

The Tingog solon said Romualdez remained “calm, consistent and constitutional” throughout the process and did not allow political noise to interfere with the institution’s work.

“He allowed the House to vote freely, and he stood by that vote. Ano pa ba ang gusto niyong gawin ng isang leader? (What else to you want a leader to do?) That’s what real leadership looks like,” Acidre said.