Nasa House Committee on Rules na ang report na nagrerekomenda ng impeachment ni Vice President Sara Duterte, matapos itong i-refer ng House of Representatives nitong Martes ng gabi.
Ang Rules Committee, na pinamumunuan ni Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, ang magtatakda kung kailan isasalang sa plenaryo ang sponsorship, debate, at botohan sa Articles of Impeachment.
Sakop ng articles ang betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, at other high crimes kaugnay ng misuse o abuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, at umano’y plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, at dating Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Kailangan ng hindi bababa sa one-third vote, o 106 sa 318 House members, para ma-impeach ang Vice President. Kapag nakuha ang bilang, ipapadala ang Articles of Impeachment sa Senate, na magko-convene bilang impeachment court. Pipili rin ang House ng 11 public prosecutors para sa trial, at maaari silang kumuha ng private prosecutors.
Nauna nang sinabi ni House Justice Committee chairperson at Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro na rekomendasyon nia ang May 11 para sa plenary vote.
“Actually, May 11 is just my recommendation… I considered the date when the plenary will be able to transmit the committee report, the Resolution, and the Articles of Impeachment to all the House members, including the complainant and the respondent Vice President, as provided under the Supreme Court decision on Duterte v. House of Representatives,” sabi ni Luistro.
Kapag naipadala ang kopya sa House members, sinabi ni Luistro na magkakaroon sila ng sapat na panahon para basahin at pag-aralan ang articles.
“Having said that, on May 11, that is a Monday, we should be ready to do the plenary vote,” dagdag niya.
Tiwala si Luistro na maaaprubahan ang report sa plenaryo, batay sa botong nakuha ng Justice panel sa probable cause at approval ng committee report. Itinanggi rin niya ang ulat na may mga miyembrong umatras sa suporta.
“I don’t know any congressman who is withdrawing his vote or signature from the determination of probable cause and even from our approval of the committee report yesterday. So from my end, I deny that allegation that there are congs who are withdrawing their signatures,” ani Luistro.
Nilinaw naman ni Senior Deputy Majority Leader at Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor na one-third vote lang ang kailangan para maipadala ang kaso sa Senate, kahit mas marami pa ang bumoto ng “no.”
“It’s clear that under the Constitution, only one-third is required, and it’s the same intention of the framers of our Constitution. Laging one-third lang ang kailangan na boto para umakyat sa Senado for trial,” ani Defensor.
“So it’s the same na ‘pag galing sa committee, ‘pag aakyat sa plenary, one-third lang ang kailangan. Kahit mas marami ang ‘no,’ it doesn’t matter,” dagdag niya.
Diin ni Defensor, hindi conviction ang House vote kundi hakbang para dalhin ang kaso sa Senate impeachment court.
“The one-third vote is not a vote for conviction. It’s simply to transmit it because there is sufficient evidence to have a trial in the Senate impeachment court,” sabi niya.
“And it’s up to them [the Senate] whether they will acquit or they will convict the respondent,” dagdag niya.
Samantala, nanindigan si House Committee on Justice Vice Chairperson Atty. Ysabel Maria “Bel” Zamora na official records ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) ang pagbabatayan ng House sa usapin ng questioned bank transactions.
“Syempre sumusunod tayo sa ebidensya, sa mga official documents, and inilabas naman po ng AMLC ang dokumento nila. So syempre ‘yun po ang ating pagbabasehan ng ating opinion on this matter,” ani Zamora.
Sinabi niyang kung may taliwas na claim, kabilang ang pahayag na ang isang P2 billion transaction ay P2 million lamang, dapat itong iharap at patunayan sa trial.
“Ngayon, kung anuman ang sinasabi nila diyan, maybe it’s their duty to present it during trial kung ito po ay patungkol sa bank accounts ng ating bise presidente at ng kanyang asawa, or if these even refers to the SALN,” sabi niya.
Iginiit ni Zamora na wala silang nakitang formal retraction mula sa mga bangko sa AMLC report. Binanggit din niya na may 19 transactions na tumugma sa records ni dating Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at AMLC data.
“Wala naman po kaming nakita na binabawi ng mga bangko ‘yung mga records na ‘yan. As far as we’re concerned, during the hearing, in fact si Congresswoman Leila po she was able to confirm 19 transactions which appeared in the AMLC report. So kung mayroon man pagbabawi ng bangko, hindi po naman binanggit ng AMLC during the hearing,” ani Zamora.
Para kay Zamora, accountability ang sentro ng impeachment, hindi away ng political families.
“This is about accountability, mayroon pong impeachable offenses na kung saan nakapaglabas po ng ebidensya ang mga iba’t ibang partido, iba’t ibang government offices. So all of us have to make a stand in relation or because of the evidence presented,” sabi niya. /Bistado