The House of Representatives is set to forward three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Office of the Speaker this week, according to Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Velasco confirmed on Monday that no fourth impeachment complaint had been filed, despite earlier talks of additional charges. He emphasized that the deadline for action is this week.
“There is no fourth impeachment complaint as of now. We have given them enough time, so we will proceed with transmitting the existing complaints,” Velasco was quoted as saying in an Inquirer.net report.
Earlier this year, Velasco mentioned that a group of lawmakers had planned to file a fourth complaint with the goal of fast-tracking the process by securing signatures from at least one-third of the House members. However, no further updates have been given since Velasco’s initial deadline passed.
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, one of the endorsers of the impeachment raps, expressed doubt about the existence of a fourth complaint. She insisted that the three existing petitions should be transmitted to Speaker Martin Romualdez without further delay.
The delay has drawn criticism from various sectors, including former senator Leila de Lima, who warned that the inaction sends the wrong message. A rally was held last Friday, calling out the House for its inaction despite the complaints already being verified.
The Makabayan bloc has also accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of influencing the delay, claiming that his allies in the House are following his stance that impeaching Duterte would be a waste of time.
