A House lawmaker led a protest at the EDSA People Power Monument on Friday, criticizing the House of Representatives for failing to act on three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte is facing allegations of misconduct and misuse of government funds, but the complaints remain unaddressed as Congress nears adjournment before the May midterm elections. She has dismissed the accusations as politically driven.
The demonstration drew around 4,000 participants, with protesters in white shirts holding placards and chanting calls for Duterte’s removal. Police deployed 7,400 officers to maintain order.
Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, who endorsed the first impeachment complaint, slammed Congress for its inaction. “January is almost over, yet no action has been taken. It’s time to move forward and impeach the Vice President,” he said.
The House Secretary General previously stated that they were waiting for a possible fourth complaint before forwarding the cases to the Speaker. However, some lawmakers now doubt whether such a complaint exists or if the House leadership has deliberately stalled the process.
For an impeachment to move forward, it must gain the support of one-third of House members, and removal from office requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
A Social Weather Stations survey from December showed that 41 percent of Filipinos support Duterte’s impeachment, while 19 percent remain undecided.
