LAWMAKERS warned Wednesday that the impeachment complaints filed against President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo were adversely affecting Congress’ legislative functions.
“Resorting to impeachment and counter-impeachment would result in legislative paralysis,” Rep. Harry Roque said.
He made his statement even as former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said having two separate impeachment complaints against the country’s top leaders would not bring any good to the country.
He said he hoped both impeachment bids would not prosper.
“This is the first time that it is simultaneous. I hope it will not happen. Let’s pray it will not prosper,” Estrada said.
Roque, a lawyer, said the impeachment complaint against Duterte would fail.
“I believe more case-building is needed for it to prosper, particularly on the extra-legal killings,” Roque said on the case filed against Duterte by Rep. Gary Alejano.
He said the supermajority bloc of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez may have the numbers to unseat Robredo.
“But for the impeachment complaint against her to succeed in the Senate, the complainants must have other evidence to show that she intends to remove the President from office in order to succeed him.”
Rep. Alfred Vargas appealed to Congress not to devote much of its time to the impeachment cases even as Rep. Rodito Albano said those cases would not solve the country’s pressing problems.
“This is the last thing we need. We have more important things to do,” Vargas said.
Rep. Ruffy Biazon shared Roque’s view even as he said a healing process in this season of Lent would be timely for the House of Representatives, in particular, to strengthen its ranks.
“The healing process is the most advisable thing to do because this will consolidate our forces,” Biazon said.
Rep. Salvador Belaro Jr. said he viewed that the impeachment complaint against Duterte was due to the “tyranny of the majority” in Congress.
“Since it is the majority that rules and we support the President, I think it is a foregone conclusion that it [impeachment complaint] will not prosper,” Belaro said.