The power to impeach

Six years is too short for the Bongbong Marcos – Sara Duterte tandem to fulfill their common dream of making this country great again.

The way I look at it, being both young, they want a new revolution — the revolution of new ideas and new efforts. They want to move the country into the golden age and launch together a new social order, instrumenting with creativity the new ideas and talents to flourish in a renaissance of culture and the arts.

They can inspire and energize our young generation to work together and attain economic prosperity and propel this country to rise to new heights of economic and social respectability among nations in this part of the world.

This was the same thought that the people had when the young Noynoy Aquino became President of the Republic of the Philippines. The people were hopeful.

But everything did change when Noynoy Aquino appointed Grace Pulido Tan and Heidi Mendoza as Commission on Audit chairperson and commissioner, respectively. According to CoA old-timers, the clouds hovering over the CoA compound along Commonwealth Avenue became dark, and ever since, the sun could hardly be seen over the area, upon the assumption into office of the new Commission Proper.

Among the worst that happened during the administration of the Pulido Tan – Heidi Mendoza tandem was the release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund Report No. 2012-3 on 16 August 2013. The release was absolutely devastating.

It damaged the reputation of the Department of Budget and Management, CoA, the Philippine Senate, the House of Representatives, and the image of the Philippines.

The following official documents, constitute the instruments of the "holocaust" in Philippine fiscal administration:
1. National Budget Circular No. 541 issued by then Secretary Florencio Abad on 18 July 2012, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court;
2. CoA Circular No. 2011-002, issued by then CoA Chairperson Grace Pulido Tan on 22 July 2011 involving the withdrawal of selective pre-audit, resulting in non-audit and non-inspection of Dengvaxia and 48 train coaches for MRT 3 before payment; and
3. Unnumbered CoA Memorandum Circular issued by then CoA chairperson Grace Pulido Tan on 10 May 2013, on the Designation of Responsibilities of Commissioners and Implementing Rules in violation of the constitutional requirements on matters to be decided by the Commission Proper, CoA should act as a collegial body.
The foregoing devastating CoA PDAF report was one of the other colossal blunders that disabled the Aquino administration from attaining the goals of his government. Instead, it paralyzed the implementation of his flagship programs and projects and rendered his much-vaunted "Daang Matuwid" — a discredited slogan of ineptitude and failure.

The Filipino people and CoA rank and file do not want these disabling CoA blunders to hinder progress.

Let not the same misfortunes spoil the greatest political victory ever attained by a young team with the support of their 30 million die-hards who accorded them the unprecedented margin of victory over their rivals. Let not incompetence, bias, partisan, and religious affiliation demonize and hinder the success of this God-given team, so full of talent, energy, and charm, destined to bring prosperity, honor, and glory to the Republic of the Philippines.

The Constitution provides a process for holding commissioners of CoA accountable, on the principle that "sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them". The Constitution provides for a mechanism to remove high officials who commit a culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and committing graft and corruption.

The Constitution vested in Congress the power to impeach. It is shared by the House of Representatives, which has the exclusive power to initiate and prosecute impeachment cases, and the Senate which has the sole power to try and decide such cases.