Metro Manila, Philippines – A party-list lawmaker once supported by Sen. Bong Go has resigned for health reasons, and not as a result of his vote to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
At the House of Representatives on Monday, May 18, the presiding officer announced in plenary session that 1-Tahanan party-list Rep. Nathaniel Oducado had resigned, along with Pinoy Workers Rep. Franz Legaspi. Both backed the impeachment. Legazpi has yet to issue a statement.
In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, May 19, Oducado said he has to focus on his health and family but did not go into details.
He said his impeachment vote was part of his job to make “difficult decisions,” adding that it was a party decision.
Oducado acknowledged that his vote caught the ire of supporters. Go, a staunch ally of the Dutertes, backed the group in the 2025 elections.
“Our supporters specifically from Cebu and Mindanao…medyo frustrated sila [they’re somehow frustrated]. In fact, I’ve been getting several messages, PM (private messages) not only by people online but also my real friends to ask me what happened with my vote,” he said.
“Medyo nanghihinayang with all the work we’ve done…ang dami ko pang gustong gawin pa e. But that’s politics, that’s public service. You really have to learn how to step back,” Oducado added.
[Translation: I feel a bit regretful about all the work we’ve done…there’s still so much more I wanted to do. But that’s politics, that’s public service. You really have to learn how to step back.]
He said the party will still discuss his replacement, noting that it is possible that Elmer Catulpos, 1-Tahanan chairman and fourth nominee, may take his place.
The party-list system law states that “in case of vacancy in the seats reserved for party-list representatives, the vacancy shall be automatically filled by the next representative from the list of nominees in the order submitted to the Commission on Elections by the same party, organization, or coalition, who shall serve for the unexpired term.”
