THE 215 congressmen, with the additional 25, who signed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte is a very strong and clear mandate from the people.

“The impeachment process is not just a political procedure, it is the voice of the Filipino people speaking through their elected representatives,” said Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

“Halos 80 porsyento ng Kamara ang pumirma sa impeachment, higit sa 3/4 ng buong Malaking Kapulungan ang nagsabing dapat itong ituloy. Higit sa kinakailangang 1/3 para agad itong maisumite sa Senado,” Barbers added.

Barbers said that the numbers do not only reflect the majority, but a super majority—or more than the required number stated in the Constitution that asked for one-third of the members of the House to be able to directly transmit to the Senate the complaint and would no longer have to pass through the House Committee on Justice.

“Hindi lang ito simpleng mayorya: ito ay isang matibay at napakalaking mandato mula sa mga halal na kinatawan ng taumbayan. Ito ang tinig ng mamamayang Pilipino,” he stressed.

Since the members of the House were elected in order to express the voice of their constituents, Barbers viewed the immense support for the impeachment as a clear reflection of the desire of the Filipino people.

‘Ang bawat pirma sa impeachment ay hindi lang boto ng isang kongresista, kundi boses ng milyon-milyong Pilipino na aming kinakatawan. Ang mensahe ng taumbayan ay malinaw: kailangan ang prosesong ito,” the lawmaker said.

Barbers explained that the large number of signatories is proof that the move was not political, but a legitimate act to perform their responsibilities as legislators.

“Ang Kongreso ay hindi nagdedesisyon para sa sarili lamang. Kami ay inihalal upang maging tinig ng ating mga kababayan. At sa pamamagitan ng napakaraming pumirma sa impeachment, malinaw na ang taumbayan mismo ang may nais na ituloy ito,” he added.

Barbers also mentioned that once the impeachment complaint has been filed, it was the role of Congress to act on it, in accordance with the Constitution.

“Wala na itong atrasan. Konstitusyonal na tungkulin ito ng Kongreso. Ang impeachment ay hindi maaaring balewalain o idaan sa pulitika. Kapag naisampa ito, may pananagutan kaming iproseso ito ng maayos,” explained the Congressman from Mindanao.

Barbers also pointed out that this is one of the strongest impeachment complaints in history, wherein the signatories came from different political parties—an indication that this is not a party-driven issue, but a responsibility that they need to perform.

“Kapag mahigit 3/4 ng mga mambabatas ang pumirma, malinaw na ito ay usaping pambansa, hindi pampulitika. Higit sa partido o alyansa, ito ay tungkol sa pagsunod sa batas at pananagutan,” Barbers stressed.

Since the impeachment complaint was able to muster more than the required number of votes, Barbers said that the process developed a life of its own and could no longer be stopped.

“Hindi ito pwedeng pigilan ng iilan. Napakarami ng bumoto, napakarami ng sumang-ayon. Ang impeachment ay hindi na mapipigilan dahil ito ay mandato ng napakaraming halal na kinatawan,” he said.

He also denied speculations that some of the House members were forced to support the complaint.

“Kapag 215 ang pumirma, at may 25 pang gustong sumali, hindi mo na puwedeng sabihing pinilit lang o minanipula. Ito ay tunay na panawagan ng Kongreso, na nagmula mismo sa ating mga kababayan,” Barbers clarified.

Since they have already forwarded the impeachment to the Senate, Barbers encouraged the senators to give recognition to the mandate coming from the Lower House and make certain that they would continue with the process, in a fair and swift manner.

“Malinaw ang mandato ng Kongreso ngayon, Senado naman ang susunod sa proseso. Umaasa tayo na kikilalanin ng mga senador ang napakalakas na mensahe ng taumbayan,” the congressman said.

“Sila po ang judge sa prosesong ito. Susunod lamang ang ating mga public prosecutors sa timetable na ilalatag nila,” he added.

Barbers assured the public that while Congress would continue to fulfill its mandate in passing legislation, they would also continue to be fair and not influenced by politics in processing the impeachment.

“Ito ay hindi laro ng mga pulitiko. Ito ay pagsunod sa batas. At ang batas, kailanman, ay hindi dapat balewalain,” added Barbers.

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