Members of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives are accusing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of intentionally blocking impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The group raised concerns on January 20 that three verified impeachment complaints, which have been pending for over a month, are still sitting in the Office of the Secretary-General.
Representatives France Castro, Arlene Brosas, and Raoul Manuel expressed disbelief at the delay, saying they’ve never seen such a situation in Congress. They pointed out that under the Philippine Constitution, the process should have already moved forward after the formal filing of the complaints.
Secretary-General Reginald Velasco has been under scrutiny for his inaction, with the Makabayan Bloc calling for a swift resolution. The group appealed to fellow lawmakers to avoid being swayed by the executive branch in deciding the fate of the complaints.
Further complicating the situation, Castro and her colleagues suggested that the impeachment process might be linked to President Marcos’ use of confidential funds, arguing that halting the impeachment could shield the administration from accountability on corruption issues.
