Despite Pres. Duterte’s pronouncement, Aguirre backs impeach rap vs Robredo

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said he will support House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez on his planned impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement to end to any ouster move against the Vice President. (Photo by ALBERT ALCAIN/Presidential Photo)

MANILA—Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said he will support House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez on his planned impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement to end to any ouster move against the Vice President.

“I am going to support it. Ang alam ko si Speaker ang nagsusulong… Si Presidente (Duterte) naman, personal opinion niya lang yun. But it will be the power, it will be a congressional call not president’s call,” Aguirre told reporters in a recent interview.

Aguirre vowed to support the impeachment charges against Robredo based on her video message against President Duterte and his administration sent to the United Nations Commission on Narcotics Drugs, believing they have basis in law.

“Ang ginawa n’ya, pinahiya niya ang Pilipinas so I’m sure na aside from damaging the image of the Philippines, may epekto yan economically,” he noted.

The DoJ Secretary said the impeachment against Robredo, a vocal critic of the administration’s war on illegal drugs, would succeed if the complainants would be able to establish the violations she was supposed to have committed against the Constitution.

Earlier, Solicitor General Jose Calida said he will support Rep. Alvarez’s plan to file an impeachment complaint against Robredo over the latter’s video to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs where she criticized the conduct of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

“I fully understand and support the sentiment of Speaker Bebot Alvarez that VP Robredo should be rightfully condemned for slandering and selling out our country and its leaders before the UN Commission on Narcotics Drugs,” Calida said.

“VP Robredo debased her office and herself by betraying the trust of our people. Worse, she shamelessly pandered to the desperate desire of Yellow Cult to depose President Duterte which if successful, will immensely benefit her. Obviously, the carping VP Robredo has joined the ranks of the destabilizers,” he added.

Caldia said Robredo will reap the people’s wrath and contempt for her treasonous act.

The top government counsel said he will provide legal assistance to Alvarez’s possible impeachment complaint against the Vice Preisdent.

“In the event that the Speaker will initiate the impeachment of VP Robredo, my office will gladly lend its legal services to such endeavor,” he noted.

Alvarez’s plan to file an impeachment complaint against Robredo over the latter’s video to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs where she criticized the conduct of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Robredo’s video message, posted by the DRCNet Foundation on YouTube last March 13, was played at the “Human Rights Challenge: Responding to Extrajudicial Killings in the Drug War,” a side session for the 60th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting last March 16 at the Vienna International Center

Alvarez said the House of Representatives will stand by its constitutional duty to hear impeachment complaints against high-ranking officials, even as President Duterte called for an end to any ouster moves against the Vice President.

The House Speaker said that he is still studying the impeachment complaint against Robredo, noting that it should be sufficient in substance to stand trial in the Senate.