Time to move forward, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines —  Malacañang yesterday called on those behind the efforts to impeach President Marcos to move forward as it expressed elation over the dismissal of the complaints, which it described as “weak” and “without merit.”

“We are happy that the process was followed. We are thankful that the lawmakers saw the truth. We have to stick to the truth. We saw that the complaint has no merit,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.

“Even the President was confident that he did not commit an impeachable offense. For now, the President is focused on growing the economy of the country. So he said, let us move forward,” she added.

Castro said Marcos was not able to watch the proceedings of the House justice committee, but was informed about the results. The President was attending two events, including a private meeting, while lawmakers were discussing the complaint, she added.

“He was happy and he said the process was followed. That’s what the President wants, for the process to be followed and for the truth to be seen,” the Palace press officer said.

“To our countrymen, we hope you were able to watch it. The lawmakers enumerated the accusations and we hope it was clear to them.”

Asked to react to criticisms that the complaints were junked because Marcos had the numbers in the House of Representatives, Castro pointed out that some legal experts who are not supporters of the President also thought that the allegations against him were weak.

Pressed if Marcos had already anticipated the result judging from the fact that he did not form a legal team to face his accusers, Castro replied: “He is confident that he did not do anything wrong and all of his acts are compliant with the law. So confident in a way, yes, but he has no control over whatever happens at the House committee on justice.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, has reassured the public that it will remain non-partisan amid the political noise created by the filing of impeachment complaints against the President.

“We remain a professional organization,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.

“We just adhere to our mandate. Since we avoid getting involved in political issues, we leave it up to involved agencies to address (political matters). At this point in time, we are trusting our democratic process to take its due course,” she said. - Michael Punongbayan