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| President Marcos is accused of complicity in VP Duterte's alleged crimes |
Amid scattered rain, a group of about 30 migrant workers led by Bayan Hong Kong & Macau staged a picket outside the Philippine consulate in Admiralty to condemn the Senate’s decision to remit to the House of Representatives its impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The protesters also hit out at President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., accusing him of deliberately delaying the passing of the impeachment complaint at the House, which they said was the real reason the same was not passed on to the Senate early enough.
They accused both the president and the senators who voted, 18-5, to send back the impeachment complaint to the House of going against the will of the people so they could protect their political interests.
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| Basahin ang detalye |
“Walang tunay na kalayaan kung nananatiling walang pananagutan ang mga kurap at abusadong opisyal ng gobyerno,” said Migante chair Lai Besana, alluding to the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence tomorrow. (There can be no real independence if corrupt and abusive officials of the government are allowed to remain unaccountable).
“Isyu at interes din ng mamamayan ang pagpapanagot sa nilustay na pera ni Sara Duterte dahil malaking pakinabang ito kung inilaan ang pondo para tugunan ang krisis ng ekonomiya, proteksiyon at serbisyong panlipunan para sa mga migrante ang mamamayang Pilipino,” she added. (Holding Sara Duterte accountable for her unexplained spending of public money should also be or interest and concern to the Filipino people because that money could have been used to respond to the economic crisis, or to protecting and providing service to Filipino migrants).
The House of Representatives adopted the impeachment complaint against VP Duterte on Feb. 5, after 215 members signed it, which was more than the 1/3 or 102 votes needed to pass the measure.
Duterte was impeached on charges of graft, corruption, plotting to assassinate President Marcos, involvement in extrajudicial killings, and incitement to insurrection and public disorder.
In particular, she is charged with betraying the public trust by failing to account for confidential funds totaling Php612.5 million.
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| Duterte is charged over her alleged failure to account for Php612.5 million in confidential funds |
Another speaker, Shiela Tebia of Gabriela Hong Kong, lamented that instead of being put on trial, Duterte is now in Malaysia, vacationing with her family.
“Kaya walang napaparusahan, pinapayagan ng administrasyong Marcos, Jr. ang kurapsyon sa gobyerno. Kung hindi tayo kayang panindigan ng sarili nating gobyerno, tayo mismo ang kikilos para panagutin si Sara sa kanyang mga kasalanan sa taumbayan lalo na sa paglustay sa pondo ng bayan,” said Tebia. (The government of Marcos, Jr allows corruption, that’s why nobody is held accountable. If our own government cannot stand for us, we will act on our own to make Sara account for all her sins to people, especially her plunder of public funds.”
Baneng Mendez, chair of Bayan HK and Macau, said for her part that remanding the impeachment complaint to the House was worse than if the Senate rejected it.
The protesters called for the impeachment trial to begin immediately, and for VP Duterte to be convicted.
They ended their protest by handing over a copy of their petition to Vice Consul Gino Soriano, who represented the Philippine Consulate.
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| Vice Consul Soriano receives a copy of the group's petition |
Meanwhile, House prosecutors rejected the Senate’s order that they certify that the impeachment complaint did not violate the constitution by hearing three impeachment complaints before the one that ultimately went to a vote.
The constitution bars subjecting anyone to multiple impeachment proceedings within the same year.
Rep. Gerville Luistro maintained that the House cannot withdraw the impeachment case because this is not allowed by the Constitution.
Other prosecutors said it was impossible to fulfill the Senate order as they could not speak for the new House members who are due to take their oath on Jun 30
