Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña said the petition filed to stop the House impeachment hearing against Vice President Sara Duterte shows what he described as “fear” and “desperation” among her allies.
Several lawmakers were not surprised by the filing of a petition for certiorari by some allies of the Vice President seeking to halt the proceedings of the House Justice Committee.
In an interview with Brigada NewsFM Manila, Cendaña said the move was a clear indication that some individuals were allegedly trying to prevent the truth from coming out.
He also criticized the continued absence of Vice President Duterte during House proceedings.
According to Cendaña, the Vice President should not use other national concerns, including the effects of the Middle East crisis on petroleum products, as justification for not attending the hearings.
He pointed out that even before the Middle East crisis, the Vice President had already been absent from House sessions.
Cendaña also made remarks referring to previous statements by the Vice President about being prepared for a “bloodbath” trial, saying the situation now appears to have turned into what he described as a “bubble bath.”
The lawmaker appealed to the Supreme Court to side with what he described as the truth and not become an instrument that would allow individuals to evade accountability.
As of now, Cendaña said that in the absence of a decision or a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, the House panel’s impeachment hearings will continue.
