House followed Constitution in impeachment rap submission--Velasco

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

The lower chamber followed the Constitution to the letter in its submission of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte--along with the articles of impeachment--to the Senate. 

Thus, said House Secretary General Reginald Velasco in a statement sent to reporters late Wednesday night, Feb. 19 

"The House of Representatives ensured compliance with all constitutional requirements when it filed the articles of impeachment and transmitted it to the Senate," Velasco said in reaction to the filing of two petitions before the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the impeachment case. 

Velasco--the highest ranked civilian official in the House--personally delivered to the Senate the duly endorsed and verified impeachmemt complaint against Duterte last Feb. 5. 

"We are aware of the two petitions filed before the [SC] challenging the validity and constitutionality of the impeachment complaint filed and transmitted to the Senate," he said. 

"We came to know about the petitions through the various media outlets. Considering that we have not received copies of any of these petitions, we are constrained to wait until we are furnished copies before we respond to any query on the matter," he added. 

Duterte is the first Vice President to be impeached by the House of Representatives. 

The direct submission of the impeachment complaint from the House to the Senate was triggered when over one-third of the current membership of the House (215 out of 306) signed the complaint. 

Evidence sufficient 

Meanwhile, San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora--one of the 11 House members tapped as prosecutors in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial--claimed that the body of evidence is sufficient to warrant Duterte's removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding any public position. 

Zamora had this to say earlier Wednesday in a forum organized the University of the Philippines College of Law (UP Law) on the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte. 

“Kami naman po sa Kongreso may nakita kaming ebidensya kaya po kami nagsampa ng complaint for impeachment (We in Congress filed the impeachment complaint after we saw the evidence)," said the lawyer-solon. 

“So without going to the merits or to the evidence, it is our duty as representatives, as members of Congress to file this impeachment complaint because we saw grounds to support the articles that we have,” Zamora added. 

The six major allegations contained in the seven articles of impeachment against Duterte are conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos; malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds; bribery and corruption in Department of Education (DepEd); unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets; involvement in extrajudicial killings (Davao Death Squad); and destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.