By Filane Mikee Cervantes
MANILA – House leaders on Friday expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for respecting the constitutional mandate of Congress as it moves forward with impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a joint statement, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe refuted claims of presidential interference, stressing that Congress acts independently.
Gonzales echoed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile’s stance that Congress has a constitutional duty to act on a filed impeachment complaint.
“This isn’t about politics; it’s about upholding our constitutional duty,” Gonzales said. “The Constitution is clear — once a complaint is filed, Congress cannot simply ignore it. We follow the law, not personal agendas.”
Suarez pointed out that the impeachment effort was initiated by groups outside the President’s political coalition.
“The President discouraged impeachment because the country has bigger priorities. But three complaints were filed — not by us. The moment they reached Congress, we had no choice but to proceed,” Suarez said.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte with 215 lawmakers signing to endorse the complaint to the Senate. The Senate, however, went on a break without tackling the impeachment bid.
Marcos has denied any role in the impeachment process.
Dalipe stressed that Congress is an independent branch of government without influence from Malacañang.
“The notion that nothing moves in Congress without the President’s approval is pure fiction,” he said. “We do not take orders from Malacañang. The House is an independent branch of government.”
Suarez also defended Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, the President’s son, who was the first to sign the impeachment complaint that was transmitted to the Senate.
“This isn’t about who signed first or last. Every congressman has a duty to act, and Congressman Sandro Marcos did what any lawmaker would do in this situation,” Suarez said.
Gonzales, meanwhile, dismissed allegations that lawmakers were bribed to sign the Articles of Impeachment as “pure fantasy.”
“The President himself exposed how laughable this claim is,” Gonzales said. “He was a congressman and a senator. He knows how this process works. The idea of distributing millions to over 200 lawmakers is pure fantasy.”
Dalipe said with the House having carried out its constitutional mandate, the next steps lie with the Senate, which would decide the case’s fate.
Marcos has indicated that he is open to calling a special session if requested by the Senate.
Despite the political controversy, Suarez assured the public that Congress remains focused on economic recovery, social programs, and national security.
“The impeachment process will not derail our work. The House will continue prioritizing the nation’s urgent needs,” he said. (PNA)
