By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who endorsed the fourth impeachment case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, is confident that the House of Representatives has the numbers to transmit the complaint to the Senate.
During the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, Abante said he is positive about getting the required one-third votes from the 318 House members.
“More than enough, yes,” Abante, chair of the House Committee on Human Rights, said.
“The Committee on Rules will give it to the Committee on Justice. The Committee on Justice would deliberate on that, maybe for two or three days. And after that, it will be put into vote in the plenary.”
The latest impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, and endorsed by Abante and Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union’s First District.
Abante said once the House members vote, the next step would be immediate transmission.
“It will be transmitted directly to the Senate after the vote in the plenary. That is what could really happen,” he said.
Abante said the House will be guided by timing and rules, including the ruling of the Supreme Court on the constitutional one-year ban.
“As for the status, the Chairman of the Committee on Justice said that there are 10 more days, 10 session days. So, I said we have to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court. We cannot ignore that. So, whatever the Supreme Court so decided, which is the interpretation of the law, Congress must follow that,” he said.
“So, what he will do is, after the filing of the fourth impeachment case with the Secretary General, it will go to the Speaker’s office. And then, I think it will go in. And then afterwards, it will go to the Committee on Rules,” Abante added.
He explained that the endorsement is rooted in his participation in past inquiries and his view that the Vice President has not addressed key allegations against her.
“And not only that, but when it comes to the appreciation of the complaint, I saw it. That’s why I endorsed it because I believed in the complaint itself. I was the co-chair of the Quad Comm, we investigated that. I am also the vice chair of Good Government. Our Vice President, she did not take an oath. She did not answer the allegations. Maybe if she answered, it would be okay,” he said.
“But now is the time for the Vice President to answer all the allegations. She has the opportunity now,” he added.
Allegations
The fourth complaint centered on allegations that Duterte failed to fully disclose assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and may have amassed unexplained wealth disproportionate to her lawful income.
It accuses the Vice President of culpable violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery and other high crimes. It cited the rapid encashment of PHP125 million in December 2022, allegedly liquidated within 11 days, and subsequent findings by the Commission on Audit (COA) flagging irregularities.
COA later issued notices of suspension and disallowance covering PHP73.287 million in questioned expenditures.
The three earlier complaints raised issues over her public statements, alleged misuse of confidential funds and refusal to recognize congressional oversight.
With four pending impeachment complaints, the House must determine whether the allegations, particularly those involving SALN disclosures and unexplained wealth, meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment under Article XI (Accountability of Public Officers) of the 1987 Constitution.
Under the constitution, the Vice President may be removed from office if found guilty. (PNA)
