Duterte allies Dela Rosa, Go to follow protocols if looming Sara impeachment reaches Senate
MANILA, Philippines — Amid the possible impeachment complaint to be filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, Sens. Bong Go and Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said that they will follow the proper impeachment procedures.
This was said by Dela Rosa and Go, who are close allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family, during the filing of certificate of candidacy on Thursday, October 3.
“Kung kami ay papalarin sa 20th Congress, pagbabasihan natin ang kanilang ebidensya,” Go said in his speech after filing his candidacy.
When asked if Dela Rosa would support Duterte if the looming impeachment case reaches the Senate, the former Philippine National Police chief responded that he will first review the articles of impeachment.
“I will still have to read the articles of impeachment, then I will decide,” Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview with Philstar.com.
The question of impeachment was raised on October 2 by Gary Alejano, a party-list aspirant running under the Magdalo Party, who said that if elected to the House of Representatives, they might file an impeachment complaint against the vice president.
On September 25, Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District), chairperson of the House good government committee, said that Duterte's alleged misuse of public funds involves amounts that have already breached the legal threshold for plunder.
Under Philippine law, the crime of plunder can only be committed by government officials who acquire, by any means, ill-gotten wealth worth P50 million.
Duterte faces allegations of misusing confidential funds allocated to her office in 2022, following concerns raised by the Commission on Audit about how the funds were utilized.
The state auditors issued a notice of disallowance for P73 million out of the P125 million in confidential funds granted to the Office of the Vice President, which were reportedly spent within 11 days.
How an impeachment complaint is elevated before the Senate
An impeachment complaint, according to the Rules of Impeachment Proceedings, can be filed by the following before the House of Representatives:
(a) a verified complaint for impeachment filed by any Member of the House of Representatives; or
(b) a verified complaint filed by any citizen upon a resolution of endorsement by any Member thereof; or
(c) a verified complaint or resolution of impeachment filed by at least one-third (1/3) of all Members of the House.
After filing, the House will determine whether the complaint is sufficient in “form and substance” and will seek the respondent official’s comment on the complaint.
The lower chamber will then vote on whether to elevate the complaint into the Articles of Impeachment. A vote of at least one-third of the House is needed for the approval of the resolution setting forth the Articles of Impeachment.
If the resolution is approved by the required vote, it will then be endorsed to the Senate for trial. The Senate, of which Go and Dela Rosa are members, will act as the judges on the indictment forwarded by the lower chamber.
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