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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider This article of impeachment could instantly doom VP Duterte, says Defensor

This article of impeachment could instantly doom VP Duterte, says Defensor

Published Feb 6, 2025 04:07 am

At A Glance

  • Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor believes that the allegations contained in the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte are strong enough to gain a conviction.
  • Defensor is a member of the House prosecution team in Duterte's upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

20241125_144052.jpgVice President Sara Duterte (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILABULLETIN)

A member of the House prosecution team believes that the allegations contained in the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte are strong enough to gain a conviction.

But Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor says there's one particular article that could doom the lady official right out of the gate.

"Some of the allegations are very serious, grave, mabibigat po at hindi biro ito na bayolasyon ng ating Konstitusyon (these are heavy allegations, these violations to the Constitution are no joke)," Defensor told reporters Wednesday night after the duly endorsed and verified impeachmemt complaint against Vice President Duterte was transmitted to the Senate.

"I think all the articles of impeachment put together makes a strong case for a conviction," he said.

The six major allegations contained in the seven articles of impeachment within the 33-page complaint 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.

"Lahat yun matibay (All of those are strong) and it only takes one article of impeachment kung may bigat para sa mga judge na mga senador natin, that's enough to impeach and remove a sitting incumbent official under our Constitution," Defensor said.

He went on to highlight the first article of impeachment, which was the Vice President's alleged contracting of an assassin to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Defensor said this "constitutes betrayal of public trust and is a high crime in every sense".

"Because you're threatening the duly-elected president of the Filipino people voted by 31 million people. So mabigat na, yun pa lang (So that in itself is heavy)," added the deputy majority leader.

To further illustrate the House of Representatives' confidence in the complaint, Defensor said: "Hindi pipirma ang 215 members ng Kongreso kung hindi kami confident sa finile naming impeachment."

(Two hundred and fifteen members of Congress would not sign this if we weren't confident with the filed impeachment complaint.)

Related Tags

Impeachment Sara Duterte lorenz defensor assassination
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