Iginagalang ng Kamara ang apela ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa mga mambabatas na huwag nang mag-initiate o manguna sa paghahain ng impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ngunit binigyang-diin din ng Young Guns bloc, na kailangan ipatupad ng Kapulungan ang mandato nito na aksyunan ang anomang reklamo na ihahain salig sa nakasaad sa Saligang Batas.
Ayon kay Taguig Representative Pammy Zamora nirerespeto ng mga mambabatas ng Kamara ang opinyon ng Presidente, gayunman, hindi aniya nila pwede pigilan ang ordinaryong mamamayan kung nanaisin nilang maghain ng impeachment complaint.
“We respect the opinion of the President. Napakalaking bagay nung sinabi niya. However, we cannot stop anybody here from filing or any citizen for that matter from taking interest in an impeachment complaint. If someone does file, hindi naman namin pwedeng basta na lang upuan. Siyempre, pakikinggan din namin ang sasabihin ng Presidente, but we’ll also have to check the contents of the complaint,” saad niya.
Alas-4:30 ng hapon nitong December 2, tinanggap ng House Secretary General ang impeachment complaint na inihain ng Tinding Pilipinas, Magdalo, Mamamayang Liberal, at Civil Society Groups laban sa Bise.
Sinabi naman ni Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, ang panawagan ni PBBM ay isang “appeal” at hindi “order” o kautusan dahil iginagalang niya ang pagiging independent ng Lehislatura.
“We value his guidance, pero sabi nga, hindi ‘yun directive. It’s an appeal. And that speaks about the character of the President, respecting the independence of the Legislative branch…he (President Marcos) was being the leader of the country, being practical about it. The President is prioritizing the concerns of the country, which is basically the problem of ekonomiya,” ani Adiong.
Ganito rin ang pananaw ni 1Rider Party-list Representative Rodge Gutierrez. Sinabi pa niya na Constitutional mandate ng Kongreso na dinggin ang reklamo, depende sa merito nito.
“I wouldn’t call it a suggestion—it’s advice, given his wisdom of the situation. But I really don’t think that is an order….We have to take note, the executive branch is different from the legislative branch. This is a constitutional mandate. The process of impeachment is nasa Constitution natin,” paalala ng kinatawan. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
