Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates on Friday dismissed an attempted impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., labeling it a baseless and politically motivated distraction in the final days of the campaign period.

Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III and former Sen. Panfilo Lacson made the statements during a press conference hours before their coalition's miting de avance, where President Marcos was scheduled to speak.

Sotto asserted that the timing of the impeachment attempt was designed to sabotage the president’s allies and influence public opinion as the 90-day national campaign period nears its end.

He argued that the complaint has no chance of progressing, as Congress will only reconvene from 2 to 13 June and even acknowledging the filing would consume several days.

“So, it’s obvious there’s a connection to the election. It’s just election sabotage, that’s all,” Sotto said.

He added, “It’s very obvious because nothing will happen from 2 to 13 June. What will happen there? Even the initial steps of submission will take time. They should just wait until July so it won’t be obvious that the target is the election.”

On Thursday, Duterte Youth chair Ronald Cardema and his wife, Duceille Marie, attempted to file an impeachment complaint against President Marcos, citing the potential arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by Interpol at the request of the International Criminal Court for his role in the anti-drug campaign. The House Secretary General was unavailable to receive the complaint.  

Lacson rejected the complaint, stating it lacks constitutional and legal basis and is driven by political motives.

He argued that the Constitution clearly defines impeachable offenses, such as culpable violation of the Constitution and graft and corruption, which he said do not apply.

“Where is the culpable violation of the Constitution? Graft and corruption? I don’t see any basis for filing an impeachment complaint,” Lacson said.

“I’m not defending the President, but the act itself of filing an impeachment complaint without basis shows the motive. Of course, it’s politics,” he added.