The impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte reflects the will of the people, not external pressure, as nearly 80 percent of House members backed the complaint, according to Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.
Barbers emphasized on Friday that the growing number of lawmakers supporting the impeachment—now at 240—surpasses the constitutional requirement to send the case to the Senate. He dismissed allegations that lawmakers were coerced, stressing that the signatures represent the people’s voice.
“The impeachment process is not just political; it is the voice of Filipinos speaking through their representatives,” Barbers said in an Inquirer.net report.
He noted that the overwhelming support for impeachment, with 215 initial signatories and more joining afterward, constitutes a “supermajority mandate” that cannot be ignored.
“This is not a simple minority decision. It is a clear and concrete mandate from elected officials. Each signature represents millions of Filipinos,” he added.
The House transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate last Wednesday after reaching the one-third threshold of 102 out of 306 members. Additional lawmakers signing afterward raised questions about whether an amended complaint would be resubmitted.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also weighed in, stating that he had no power to prevent the impeachment since the complaints were filed by various groups and not his allies.
Barbers reaffirmed that there were no undue influences behind the move. “When 215 lawmakers sign, followed by more, you cannot claim they were forced. This is Congress responding to the people’s call,” he said.
