By Raymund B. Villanueva
Kodao Productions
MANILA – Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dodged the impeachment bullet as a congressional committee overwhelmingly voted to declare the two complaints against him as “insufficient in substance.”
Voting 42 in favor of the motion of insufficiency with a lone dissention, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice struck down the first impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus.
The second complaint, filed by various progressive personalities and organizations, fared a little better with seven votes in favor of the motion to declare it sufficient in substance but was buried by 39 votes against it.
The same committee voted last Monday that both complaints are sufficient in form.
Today’s result however means Marcos Jr. has a year’s reprieve before another impeachment complaint may be lodged against him.
The complaints accuse the Philippine president of having direct knowledge in institutionalizing corruption in the country’s national budget, allowing mechanisms that make anomalous public works projects under his government.
The 47-member justice committee however is made up of Marcos Jr. allies in the lower chamber of Congress who took turns in exonerating the president from acknowledged anomalous projects.
The committee is expected to prepare its report on the dismissal of both complaints for submission to plenary on or before March 27.
An impeachment complaint is the first step to remove government officials from office based on several offenses, including betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution.
Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago, one of the endorsers of the second complaint condemned the decision as a disservice to the people who are demanding accountability.
“Sa halip na pakinggan ang hinaing ng taumbayan para sa imbestigasyon, pinalusot pa ang mga sinasabing “big fish” tulad ni Pangulong Marcos Jr, na makaharap sa hearing,” Elago said.
“Ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit ayaw palagpasin ng mayorya ang mga reklamo patungo sa isang full-blown hearing ay malinaw: ayaw ng mga kaalyado ng administrasyon na humarap si Pangulong Marcos Jr. sa komite upang ipaliwanag at sagutin ang mabibigat na alegasyon laban sa kanya. Ayaw niyang harapin ang taumbayan,” Elago added.The justice committee will again meet to tackle the impeachment complaint against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on corruption charges. (Reposted by Bulatlat)
