'Wala kaming nakikita': NUP sees no reason to impeach PBBM
At A Glance
- There is simply no plausible ground to impeach President Marcos as far as the National Unity Party (NUP) is concerned.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Facebook)
There is simply no plausible ground to impeach President Marcos as far as the National Unity Party (NUP) is concerned.
NUP Chairman Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno had this to say in a virtual press conference Friday, Jan. 16 as he addressed persistent rumors that an impeachment complaint would be filed against the Chief Executive this 20th Congress.
"Actually I don’t see any grounds for filing an impeachment case against the President. Kaya (That's why) I would like to see whatever complaint there is," Puno said.
“Even when we started analyzing, we’re trying to think what grounds can they put for an impeachment case. Is there culpable violation of the Constitution? Is there any of those things? Parang wala kaming nakikita (We're not seeing anything),” said the veteran lawmaker.
“So I would like to see what complaint they’re going to bring up, but I really am very skeptical that they’ll be able to come up with anything credible," added the deputy speaker.
The process of impeachment begins in the House of Representatives. A complaint must be duly filed and then endorsed by at least one House member before it can be considered by the body.
Under the normal process, the complaint gets referred to the Committee on Justice. The panel would then hold hearings to determine the complaint's sufficiency in a form and in substance.
But this early, Puno says the House--or at the least the majority bloc where he and the rest of the NUP belongs to--won't be supporting such a complaint.
"Obviously no (we won't support it)," said the chairman of the second biggest political party in the House in terms of membership.
“That’s why I’m already saying our party, I’m almost sure 100 percent we are not going to be for itt. Number one, wala naman kaming nakikita (we don't see any grounds for impeachment)."
The deputy speaker also noted that, unlike speculative efforts against the President, any impeachment complaint must stand on clear constitutional grounds and withstand scrutiny under rules laid down by the Supreme Court.