Malacañang reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not interfere in the ongoing proceedings of the House Committee on Justice regarding the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the statement after being asked whether the president was monitoring the second day of the hearing on the determination of sufficiency in substance of the complaint.
Castro said the matter has not yet been discussed with the president as he has been busy attending to his duties.
She emphasized that the president would not intervene in the outcome of the proceedings.
According to Castro, Marcos wants the process to proceed in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws.
“The president only wants the process to be followed and the provisions of the Constitution to be observed,” Castro said.
She added that if evidence emerges showing that someone should be held accountable, the legal process should be allowed to take its course.
The House Committee on Justice is currently conducting hearings to determine whether the impeachment complaint against Duterte meets the requirement of sufficiency in substance.
The determination of sufficiency in substance is one of the early stages in the impeachment process before the complaint can proceed to further deliberations.
Malacañang maintained that the president respects the independence of the House of Representatives in handling the matter.
Castro reiterated that the executive branch will allow the legislative process to continue without interference from the president.
The impeachment complaint against Duterte is currently undergoing review by lawmakers as part of the constitutional procedure for impeachment cases in the House of Representatives.
Further steps in the process will depend on the committee’s findings during the ongoing evaluation of the complaint.
