MANILA, Philippines – Sinabi ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., na isang press conference sa Kalayaan Hall, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, araw ng Huwebes, Pebrero 6, inamin ng Pangulo na humingi sa kanya ng payo ang kanyang anak na si Cong. Sandro Marcos hinggil sa impeachment complaint laban kay VP Sara Duterte.
“So, it’s your duty now to support that process. So, do your duty.” That’s what I told him, “Do your duty. You have to support the process. You are Constitutionally mandated to carry out that process. And you’re a congressman, so do your duty.” That’s what I told him. I didn’t know he’ll be the first to sign though.”
“Of course, he did. And I said – it’s very simple what I told him. And he said, you know the – “Mukhang magpipirmahan na. What’s your opinion? What I should do?” And I told him, I said: “The process has begun.” ang pag-aalala ng Pangulo sa naging pag-uusap nila ng kanilang anak na si Cong. Marcos.
“It has – parang batas ‘yan. When you’re in the legislature, when you file a bill, okay, House Bill No. 123 et cetera, et cetera. ‘Pag file mo niyan, that bill takes a life of its own. Kahit anong gawin ng congressman na nag-file o senador na nag-file, kahit ayaw niya ‘yung mga changes na gagawin doon sa kanyang bill, wala na siyang magagawa because the bill is going through the process as it should. And part of that process will be amendments, et cetera, additions, all that,” aniya pa rin sabay sabing “The impeachment complaint is exactly the same. Once it has been filed, there is a procedure that needs to be followed already.”
Nauna rito, inilahad ng Pangulo para maunawaan ng lahat ang pinag-ugatan ng kanyang posisyon ukol sa nasabing impeachment complaint.
Kung maaalala lamang aniya ng lahat, nagsimula ang kanyang pahayag at hangarin na “sana huwag na tayong mag-impeachment dahil marami tayong – madaming ibang trabaho at hindi – actually it’s also not practical” noong oanahon na wala pang naghahain ng impeachment complaint laban kay VP Sara.
“Kaya’t sana I was hoping na makumbinsi ko lahat ng kung sinuman huwag na muna nating gawin ito. Kung talagang ano – kung talagang mayroon kayong paniniwala na kailangang gawin ito, huwag naman siguro muna ngayon at marami pa tayong gagawin,” anito.
“Kaya’t kung titingnan naman ninyo ‘yung mga kaalyado ko sa House of Representatives, wala sa kanila ang nag-file. Sumunod naman sila sa hiniling ko sa kanila na huwag silang mag-file ng impeachment dahil hindi magandang timing at saka marami pang problema,” ang sinabi ng Pangulo.
Iyon nga lamang aniya ay may ibang grupo gaya aniya ng Makabayan group mula sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso, kampo ni Senator Leila De Lima at religious group ang naghain ng impeachment complaint.
“And if you remember noong nag-statement si JPE na sinasabi niya hindi puwedeng pigilin ‘yan dahil may grupo na ayaw – I think he was referring to Iglesia ni Cristo. Sinasabi niya… Sinabi niya hindi naman natin puwedeng ipigil dahil may grupo o may tao na ayaw ‘yan,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
“At sinabi ko sa inyo noong tinatanong niyo sa akin, sabi ko I agree with him, totoo. And if you remember my words were this, “Once the impeachment complaints are filed, they have no choice. The House has no choice, the Senate has no choice, kailangan nilang iproseso ang impeachment complaint.” And that’s exactly what has happened,” litaniya nito.
Sa oras aniya na naihain na ang impeachment complaints, walang ‘choice’ ang Senado at Kongreso kundi pagtuunan ng pansin ang impeachment complaint laban kay VP Sara.
“Nakatali na ang kamay nila. They have to do this and they have to do it in recognition of again the complaints that have been filed. So, iyon ang nangyari ngayon,” ang sinabi pa rin ng Punong Ehekutibo.
“And that’s why we have come to this point where the House has transmitted already the impeachment complaint to the Senate. We have heard some of the statements made by the Senate President as to how he is planning to handle it. So, we will have to see because it is many… As you’ve heard before – that we heard many, many times during the Corona trial, these impeachment trials are sui generis, and therefore, we have to be very clear how the rules are and how it will be conducted,” ang sinabi pa rin ng Pangulo.
“Iyon ang inaalala ko because I was also in the House and I was in the Senate during the Corona trial. Kaya’t parang mayroon akong – I have some understanding doon sa mga procedures,” aniya pa rin.
Nauna rito, inimpeach ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso si VP Sara.
Ayon kay House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco, 215 kongresista ang lumagda sa 4th impeachment complaint na higit pa sa 1/3 na kailangang lagda ng 306 mambabatas para maiakyat ang reklamo sa Senado.
Napag-alaman na si Presidential Son at Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos ang unang pumirma sa ikaapat na impeachment complaint laban kay VP Duterte. Kris Jose
