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VP Sara: 'PBBM had prior knowledge about my impeachment, Cha-Cha'
VP Sara: 'PBBM had prior knowledge about my impeachment, Cha-Cha'
Vice President Sara Duterte alleged that President Marcos had prior knowledge about the House of Representatives’ supposed plans to amend the Constitution as well as to impeach her for the benefit of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In the lengthy first episode of the “Ibalik ang Tapang at Malasakit,” a sit-down program with the Vice President, Duterte spoke about issues she barely responded to in public.
One of which was the House members’ move to oust her.
Duterte claimed the impeachment complaint had long been planned by House members, with collusion between pro-admin lawmakers and those belonging to the Makabayan bloc.
Duterte said the hearing that was supposedly in aid of legislation was actually conducted so House members could establish evidence to be used against her.
It was done so for the purported ambition of Romualdez, the cousin of Marcos, to become the next president, Duterte said.
“Ang gusto talaga nila, Martin Romualdez, for president para susunod siya kay BBM. Eh, nasa Gabinete pa ako noonx di nila ako maatake ng deretsahan (What they really want is for Martin Romualdez to become president so he can succeed BBM. Since I was still in the Cabinet back then, they couldn't attack me directly)," the Vice President said.
The plans
Duterte cited the administration’s plans to give way for a possible Romualdez presidency: one was amending the political provision of the Constitution, and the other was impeaching her.
“Meron akong confirmation na alam ni BBM yung Charter Change (I have confirmation that BBM knows about Charter Change),” the Vice President claimed.
In November 2023, before Marcos flew to the US for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Duterte said she confronted Marcos about rumors that the House was already moving to impeach her.
“Kinompronta ko diretso si BBM. Sabi ko bakit merong pagpaplano ng impeachment sa House of Representatives sakin (I confronted BBM. I asked why there were plans for an impeachment against me in the House of Representatives),” she said.
“Alam mo si BBM, nag-English 'yan, eh. Sabi, ‘Oh, that’s not true. That’s not true, there’s nothing like that.' Ganyan 'yan siya (You know BBM, he speaks English. He said, 'Oh, that’s not true. That’s not true, there’s nothing like that.' That’s how he is),” she added.
According to Duterte, Marcos denied such, but supposedly admitted there was something else that House members were brewing: change the Constitution.
"Sa sobrang daldal niya na lumabas sa bibig nya na ang prayoridad daw is Charter change (Because he talked so much, it slipped out of his mouth that the priority is supposedly Charter change),” she said.
Senator Imee Marcos, who was also there in the meeting, reacted vehemently, saying why it was the administration’s priority amid all the problems the country was facing.
“Sabi niya (he said), 'This will be for the country because this is all about economic provisions,’” Duterte said.
Duterte questioned such a plan as changing and opening the Constitution would give way for its political amendments. In reality, there were plans to extend the term of House members, she said.
“Doon kasi unang diniscuss yung na tatanggalin yung Office of the Vice President at papahabain yung terms ng members of House of Representatives (Because that is where they first discussed abolishing the Office of the Vice President and extending the terms of the members of the House of Representatives),” she said.
And just before the President got on the plane, she was told: “I’ll take care of you.”
“Why do you need to take care of me? You know something, di ba (right)?” she said.