Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 4) — The House Committee on Justice is set to rule on an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte this May.
The committee is tasked to determine if the complaint contains or lacks sufficient grounds for impeachment.
House Justice Committee Chairman Reynaldo Umali on Wednesday said he expects the complaint to be referred to his committee by the week of May 8.
“Then we will set the meetings immediately thereafter,” he said.
“I try to dispose of pending matters before my committee at the earliest opportunity,” Umali added.
The House of Representatives lists 49 members including Umali in the Committee of Justice. Majority of the committee members should vote that the complaint is sufficient in form and substance before it is sent to the House plenary for all the members to vote for or against an impeachment trial at the Senate.
Majority Leader Rudy Fariñas said the House will prioritize the impeachment complaint “considering that the highest official of the land is the subject of the complaint.”
House leaders earlier claimed that the impeachment complaint will not prosper as Duterte enjoys the support of the supermajority.
Umali said the supermajority has an even stronger bond now after members spent time together during the congressional recess of more than a month.
“The House of Representatives is stronger than ever and the supermajority is stronger than ever,” Umali said Wednesday.
Umali said his committee can junk the impeachment complaint after a couple of hearings if there are no congressmen who will support it.
House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said that although the committee on justice usually finds an impeachment complaint sufficient in form, it is during the vote on the sufficiency in substance that an impeachment case is junked.
“Sa tinagal tagal ko dito sa kongreso, iyong form, talagang pumapasa kaagad iyon. Pagdating sa substance doon magkakatalo kung dadalhin sa plenary o doon palang tapos na roon,” Suarez said.
[Translation: “In my long experience here in Congress, complaints are usually found sufficient in form. But it’s during deliberations on substance that lawmakers argue whether the bid should be sent to the plenary or be stopped there at the committee level.”]
Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano filed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte on March 16. This was followed by a supplemental complaint two weeks after.
Alejano wants Duterte ousted over alleged extrajudicial killings in the administration’s war on drugs, the President’s alleged involvement in vigilante killings in Davao City when he was mayor, and his alleged failure to defend the country’s territorial rights against China, among others.
Also read: Duterte faces more impeachment charges over ‘inaction’ in sea row
Alejano claimed Duterte is guilty of all constitutional grounds for impeachment, including culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.
Malacañang has denied Alejano’s accusations, and maintained there is no sufficient ground to oust the President.
Duterte himself has called for an end to impeachment threats, including those expected to be filed against Vice President Leni Robredo.
Also read: Impeachment rap vs. Robredo pending endorsement
