DUTY-BOUND
THE “Young Guns” of the House of Representatives on Monday expressed respect for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s appeal to avoid impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, but emphasized that citizens have the constitutional right to file such complaints and lawmakers are duty-bound to act on them if filed.
In a press conference, House Assistant Majority Leaders Pammy Zamora and Zia Alonto Adiong, along with 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, assured that any such move would be handled in accordance with constitutional procedures.
President Marcos earlier confirmed sending a text message to his allies in Congress, urging them to abandon any plans to file an impeachment complaint against Duterte.
He argued that such a complaint “does not make a difference to even one single Filipino life” and would only “tie down” Congress, diverting attention from more pressing national concerns.
“We respect the opinion of the President. Napakalaking bagay nung sinabi niya,” said Zamora, who represents Taguig City’s Second District. “However, we cannot stop anybody here from filing or any citizen for that matter from taking interest in an impeachment complaint.”
Zamora added: “As of today, 11:07 a.m., wala pa akong naririnig, wala pa akong nababalitaan about any complaint. If someone does file, hindi naman namin pwedeng basta na lang upuan. Siyempre, pakikinggan din namin ang sasabihin ng Presidente, but we’ll also have to check the contents of the complaint.”
Adiong clarified that Marcos’ message was an appeal, not an order, and reflected the President’s respect for the independence of the legislative branch.
“We value his guidance, pero sabi nga, hindi ‘yun directive. It’s an appeal,” Adiong said. “And that speaks about the character of the President, respecting the independence of the legislative branch.”
Adiong commended the Chief Executive for prioritizing national interests over personal or political concerns, particularly in light of Duterte’s recent controversial remarks, where she claimed that President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez could be targeted by an assassin if she were killed.
“Despite that, he (President Marcos) was being the leader of the country, being practical about it,” Adiong said. “The President is prioritizing the concerns of the country, which is basically the problem of ekonomiya.”
He continued, “Ang sinabi niya, it won’t help any single Filipino. That’s how he appreciates the possible filing of an impeachment complaint. He’s putting the interest of the country above self-interest.”
Gutierrez, a lawyer, emphasized that impeachment is a constitutional process and cannot be ignored if a legitimate complaint arises.
“We have to take note, the executive branch is different from the legislative branch,” Gutierrez said. “This is a constitutional mandate. The process of impeachment is nasa Constitution natin. Should there be any complaints filed, we are duty-bound to hear it out, check the merits, and give it due process.”
He also pointed out that the President’s plea was advisory in nature and did not interfere with Congress’ independence.
“I wouldn’t call it a suggestion—it’s advice, given his wisdom of the situation,” Gutierrez said. “But I really don’t think that is an order. That’s a different jurisdiction of powers.”
Gutierrez praised the administration for maintaining open communication between the executive and legislative branches, calling it a strength of the current government.
“Ang kagandahan naman po with the government now is very open lines of communication,” he said. “When we have comments or opinions, they’re always open to listening, from the President to the Secretaries, all the way down the line.”
