MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said it is not practical to push for Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s removal from office through impeachment.
In an interview with the media over the weekend, the Chief Executive cited the “very poor” timing of the impeachment calls against Duterte-Carpio since it is already the election season.
“As a practical matter, papasok na tayo sa campaign period. Wala ng congressman, wala ng senador dahil nangangampanya na sila. Hindi tayo makakapagbuo ng quorum,” Marcos said.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile previously warned against a “very detrimental precedent” if the country follows the implied logic of religious group Iglesia ni Cristo’s recent rally, which was held nationwide to support Marcos’ objection to Duterte’s impeachment.
In response, President Marcos said that he agreed that Enrile is “one of [the] best legal thinkers in the country,” but he still opposed to the idea of impeaching the Vice President.
“He (Enrile) is right, there is a consequence to [that]. There will be a precedent, and it will be very problematic,” Marcos said.
“The House doesn’t have a choice, and the Senate doesn’t have a choice once these impeachment complaints are filed. Well, I don’t think that now is the time to go through that,” he added.
Duterte-Carpio is facing three impeachment complaints before the House of Representatives for alleged violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, plunder and malversation, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes as grounds for impeachment.
Last year, President Marcos said filing an impeachment complaint against Duterte-Carpio would only distract the government from the real work of government “which is to improve the lives of all Filipinos.”/PN
