Senators’ relatives did not sign impeach complaint

MANILA, Philippines — Nine officials and members of the House of Representatives who are family members of eight incumbent senators did not sign the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Those who did not sign include members of the families of Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., Senate President Francis Escudero, Senators Raffy Tulfo, Cynthia and Mark Villar, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Nancy Binay. A total of 215 of the 306 members of the House of Representatives signed the impeachment complaint against the Vice President. Senators function as judges in an impeachment court.

Revilla’s wife Lani Mercado of the second district of Cavite; their sons Jolo of the first district of the province, and Bryan of Agimat party-list did not vote for Duterte’s impeachment. They belong to the supermajority coalition in the House, with the senator being the chairman of the ruling Lakas-CMD party.

House records also indicate Escudero’s sister, Rep. Marie Bernadette of Sorsogon’s first district; Tulfo’s brother, House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin (ACT-CIS party-list); Cynthia Villar’s daughter and Mark’s sister, House Deputy Speaker Camille, did not affix their signatures in the impeachment suit.

Also not on the list were Bro. Eddie Villanueva of party-list Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) and Rep. Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. of Bukidnon’s third district – fathers of senators Villanueva and Zubiri, respectively – and Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., brother-in-law of Binay.

Tulfo, who is also a prominent broadcaster, admitted not having signed the complaint. “I did not affix my signature to the impeachment complaint filed against VP Duterte to ensure that my judgment remains impartial should I become a senator-judge.”

“As a top contender in the upcoming senatorial elections, I may be among the new  senators tasked with judging the said impeachment complaint. When that time comes, I will meticulously examine every piece of evidence presented before the body,” he said.

There were family members or allies of other senators in the House who affixed their signatures in the impeachment document.

Among them were Tulfo’s wife Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo (ACT-CIS) and son Rep. Ralph (Quezon City), Tolentino’s niece Aniela Bianca Tolentino (Cavite), former senator and now educations chief Sonny Angara’s cousin Rommel Angara (Aurora), and Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ ally and colleague Percival Cendana of Akbayan party-list.

‘Long time coming’

“It was a long time coming,” 1Rider party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said of Duterte’s impeachment, who also called it “a culmination and vindication of the findings” of House committees which investigated the Vice President’s misuse of funds and possible links to extrajudicial killings.

For Rep. Lorenz Defensor, Duterte’s impeachment was “a logical conclusion of the actuations of the VP herself.” Defensor is a member of the 11-man prosecution team for Duterte’s impeachment trial.

“Nobody told her to go live on video and say that she has contracted somebody to kill the President, the wife of the President and the Speaker of the House,” he said.

Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur’s first district, agreed.

Could be more than 215

House insiders said the number of signatories to the Duterte impeachment complaint could have reached more than 215 – possibly even reaching 240 – had there been more lawmakers physically present during the signature signing.

“Many congressmen apparently are still abroad. They actually sent their e-signatures for verification but the House leadership eventually decided against it for reasons that issues of technicality may be raised,” a source pointed out.

Only the signatures of 102 members of Congress, or two thirds of the total, are needed for an impeachment complaint to get transmitted directly to the Senate for trial, forgoing with deliberations in the House committee on justice and later in the plenary.

Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano clarified that Negros Occidental 5th district Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo and several others also signed the impeachment complaint after the adjournment, but their names were not included in the official lists when the impeachment complaint was endorsed to the Senate.

As expected, the Vice President’s lawmaker-brother Rep. Paolo Duterte of Davao did not sign the impeachment complaint.

Reps. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga), Isidro Ungab (Davao), Rodante Marcoleta (1Sagip party-list) and former House speakers Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte) and Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) did not sign the impeachment complaint.

Some senior administration stalwarts did not sign the impeachment complaint. They were Reps. Zaldy Co (former appropriations panel chairman), Joey Salceda (Albay), Richard Gomez (Leyte), Eric Go Yap, Edvic Yap, and couple Migs Nograles and Cheeno Almario.

Other administration allies in the House just made their positions known, among them Reps. Johnny Pimentel (of Duterte’s PDP-Laban party), Crispin Diego Remulla (son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla) and Jason Abalos of 4Ps (grandson of Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos). –  Gilbert Bayoran