Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has announced that the three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte must be addressed promptly. According to Velasco, a fourth complaint is anticipated to skip the hearing phase and move directly to trial in the Senate.
The complaints against Vice President Duterte, filed in December, have been under the custody of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco. Despite the existence of a potential fourth complaint supported by 103 lawmakers, it has not materialized yet.
Velasco stressed the urgency of transmitting the impeachment complaints to the Office of the House Speaker before the upcoming congressional break for elections. To proceed, an endorsement by at least one-third of the House, equivalent to 103 members, is necessary.
Amando Ligutan, the counsel for petitioners in the third impeachment case, emphasized the importance of addressing the cases promptly, warning about the consequences of overlooking the Vice President's alleged actions. On the other hand, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and the Makabayan party-list bloc have expressed impatience over the delay in moving the complaints forward.
The grounds for the impeachment cases against Vice President Duterte include accusations of plunder, graft and corruption, and betraying public trust. Particularly, the House good government and public accountability committee has been conducting investigations into the alleged misuse of the Vice President's P612.5-million confidential fund.
