[IN PROGRESS]
Duterte Youth Partylist Chair Ronald Cardema has attempted to submit an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., arguing “millions” of angry Filipinos are calling for former President Rodrigo Duterte’s return to the country—and as the voice of the people, silence is not an option.
“Kaya tayo nag-file, kasi napakaraming Pilipino ang nananawagan na ibalik si Pangulong Duterte dito. Ibig sabihin, napakaraming Pilipino, milyon-milyon, ang nagagalit: bakit tayo nag-surrender ng isang kababayan natin sa dayuhan?” he said in an interview on DZRH’s Balansyado.
Cardema claimed that turning Duterte over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) amounted to surrendering the Philippines’ sovereignty, arguing that a nation’s sovereignty lies in its constituents.
“Ibinigay natin ang isang Pilipino sa mga dayuhan … Nakalagay sa Constitution, ‘yung sovereignty of the country, precisely the Filipino people, hindi ito nakabase sa teritoryo—kasi teritoryo, minsan lumalaki, lumiliit … ang soberanya ng Pilipinas ay nasa tao. So kung nag-surrender ka ng tao, noong March 11, sinurrender mo ‘yung soberanya natin noong March 11. So kailangan mayroong managot,” he asserted.
But who is to answer for this violation of the Constitution? Cardema said that the President, in the highest seat of power, is primarily responsible, as all other officials merely carry out his orders. Moreover, he claimed the Office of the President paid for the chartered plane that brought Duterte to The Hague.