ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (left), and Vice President Sara Duterte (Rep. Castro's office, Facebook)

A clear attempt to shield Vice President Sara Duterte from accountability.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro gave this description to the big peace rally planned by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Monday, Jan. 13.

"This rally is not about peace and unity. It's a calculated move to protect Vice President Duterte from answering serious allegations about her misuse of confidential funds and her accountability for the deteriorating quality of education in our country," she said in a statement Sunday, Jan. 12.

Castro. a House deputy minority leader, is an endorser of one of the three impeachment complaints filed so far against the sitting Vice President. 

She noted that the rally's timing coincides with the growing public demand for accountability, as evidenced by the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results, which showed that 41 percent or four our of 10 Filipinos support the impeachment against Vice President Duterte. 

Castro said senatorial aspirant Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta is among the organizers of the anti-impeachment rally.

The complainants behind the impeachment raps against Vice President Duterte have cited the alleged misuse of P612.5-million confidential funds--among others--as grounds for her ouster. 

"The Filipino people deserve answers about the unexplained use of confidential funds. As a former education secretary, VP Duterte must also answer for the alarming decline in our students' performance in international assessments for math, English, and science during her watch," Castro said.

The lady lawmaker from the Makabayan bloc pointed out that genuine peace and unity cannot be achieved by blocking legitimate calls for accountability.

"Walang rally ang makapagbubura sa katotohanang dapat managot ang mga opisyal ng gobyerno sa kanilang mga ginawa. Ang milyong Pilipinong sumusuporta sa impeachment ay humihingi ng hustisya at pananagutan, hindi political theatrics,," Castro concluded.

(No rally can erase the truth that government officials must be held accountable for their actions. The millions of Filipinos who support the impeachment are seeking justice and accountability, not poltical theatrics.)