In an attempt to fast-track Vice President (VP) Sara Duterte's impeachment case, the Makabayan bloc alongside three minority lawmakers began its signature drive at Congress on Thursday, December 5.
The Constitution and House Rules require one third members of the Congress to sign the impeachment complaint. Reaching a total of 106 signatures would hasten the articles of impeachment's transmittal from the House of Representatives to the Senate.
This process removes the rigorous route of normal proceedings wherein hearings by the House Committee on Justice and other tedious legislative processes are required.
As Congresss' holiday recess nears, the members who filed for an impeachment case against the VP are speeding up the process. Come next year, session days would be limited between January 13 and February 7, due to the midterm elections.
On Monday, advocacy groups filed the first impeachment rap against VP Duterte, in hopes of holding the official accountable for the anomalies within the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
While on Wednesday, progressive groups filed a second impeachment complaint against VP Duterte, citing grounds on betrayal of public trust. It was formally received on the same day by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
“During the budget deliberations, the misuse of confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) was exposed. It is now up to the House of Representatives to fulfill its constitutional duty to hold erring public officials accountable,” Makabayan said in a statement.
If proven, it would unseat Duterte as the second top official in the country.
The progressive group is composed of Representatives France Castro of the ACT Teachers Party-list, Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Women's Party-list and Raoul Manuel of the Kabataan Party-list.
