Congress rejects impeachment complaint vs. Duterte

Photo: Filipino Community/Facebook.com

Lawmakers in the House Justice Committee rejected the first impeachment complaint filed against President Rodrigo Duterte.

The 42 members of the Committee ruled that the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo representative Gary Alejano was insufficient in form but insufficient in substance.

In technical terms, “form” refers to the technical details while “substance” refers to the actual allegations to determine if whether or not there is a cause for impeachment.

The Committee questioned Aljeano about his first-hand knowledge on the allegations indicated in the impeachment complaint.

Alejano said that the facts in the complaint were verified and that it was partly taken from various news reports and testimonies of confessed hired killers. As of the moment only Edgar Matobato and retired police officer Arturo Lasacañas are the only two well-known former members of the so called “Davao Death Squad”. However, Alejano’s former colleague and now Senator Antonio Tillanes IV claimed that his party had encountered other more members of the so call death squad and they are yet to provide their own testimonies to support the existence of the group.

However, Alejano said that he has no personal knowledge as a witness and based the facts he provided in his complaint from news reports, affidavits of witness and Duterte’s public remarks on the drug war and towards other critics. The Committee then also rejected his appeal to explain.

According the Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Alejano should demonstrate personal knowledge of the violations indicated in the complaint and questioned the credibility of news reports and its authenticity.

Meanwhile, opposition Representative Edcel Lagman urged the Committee to let Alejano provide his explanations to determine the substance.

“While it is true that an impeachment proceeding is a political exercise, it is not a partisan enterprise.” He said.

The result came as no surprise to members of the Duterte Cabinet.

In a statement issued by Presidential Chief Legal Counsel, Salvador Panelo, it was expected the complaint will not even reach first base because all the allegations are based on hearsay.

For Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the impeachment complaint “was from rehashed, trumped up charges aimed at undermining the duly constituted government.”

“The President suspects a co-equal branch of government and does not interfere in the political exercise. Neither is he beholden to any group and he remains focused on governance.” Abella said.

Even Vice President Leni Robredo believed that the impeachment complaint filed against Duterte will not prosper because of his popularity and that it only gained little support in the house.

The Senate on the other hand, stated that they respect the decision of the House Committee on Justice. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III stated that the Senate has “no other choice but to respect it because in the first place, there were the ones who thoroughly examined the impeachment complaint and that the Senators only sit as judges.

Duterte critics Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said that the decision was expected and that the opposition will not stop and will consider other methods to prove that the allegations against the President was true.