Will Impeachment Trial vs. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Really Start Before Senate Adjourns?
SARA DUTERTE – The results of the OCTA survey showed that 78% of the Filipinos want the impeachment trial of the Vice President to push through.
The announcement of Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero that the impeachment proceedings against Vice Pres. Duterte will be postponed gained different reactions from the Filipino people. Instead of having the reading of the articles of impeachment last June 2, it was moved to June 11.
According to Escudero, they have decided to prioritize the legislative agenda citing that there are still several measures that the Senate and the House of Representatives have to pass before the 19th Congress adjourns. He also claimed that the Commission on Appointments still have over 270 presidential appointments to review.
Sen. Koko Pimentel who is a former Senate President reacted saying he will ask the though processes of the SP on why he changed the initial schedule he set. As for presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos, it must be accepted that the impeachment move against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has allegedly already lost.
Escudero defended the delay in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte saying it will allegedly not benefit anyone or cause a disadvantage at any camp. According to him, the farthest that they can do in the 19th Congress is the issuance summons to the Vice President and she will be given 10 days to respond to it.
The delay in the impeachment proceedings against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte triggered speculations that there might be no trial that may happen. It also sparked speculations that there is allegedly a presidential power over the decision.
Prior to the delay of the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, Pres. Bongbong Marcos said he is open to reconcile with the Duterte family. Amid the speculations, Malacañang denied it saying that Marcos wants Duterte’s impeachment process to proceed even if he is not in favor of her removal from office.
Several groups calling for the impeachment trial against Duterte to push through rallied outside the Senate building. Several universities also joined the call. OCTA Research launched a survey on the matter.
Based on a report on GMA News, OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey result showed that 78% of the Filipinos want the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to push through. The biggest number of respondents who want the trial to push through is in Visayas followed by the respondents in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Based on the report, only 13% disagreed on the pushing through of the impeachment trial against Vice Pres. Duterte while 9% of the respondents did not have a response on the issue. According to OCTA, the results of the survey showed a strong support on the pushing through of the trial.
“These findings reflect strong public support for accountability and due process in addressing the allegations against the Vice President,” the OCTA Research said.
Previously, House Speaker Martin Romualdez also reacted to the delay in the impeachment process against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The VP was impeached by the House of Representatives last February 5.