Ridon: VP Duterte impeachment ‘nation’s fight’

“This fight is ultimately the nation’s fight–for truth, for accountability, for justice.”

That was how Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon described the upcoming House vote on whether to transmit the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate this Monday, 11 May.

Through a lengthy Facebook post, Ridon stated that the vote to impeach Duterte in the House of Representatives was far from just a “political exercise” and was instead a “constitutional act of accountability” given the numerous allegations raised through the complaints.

“Today, the 20th Congress House of Representatives will make history. Under two different Congresses, the House will impeach Vice President Sara Duterte for a second time,” his post read.

The solon reiterated his belief that at least 215 lawmakers would be voting in favor of the impeachment, a lot more than the required one-third vote based on the provisions indicated under Article XI, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution.

During the various proceedings of the House Committee on Justice regarding the impeachment complaints directed at the Vice President, what had initially started as four petitions was narrowed down to two that were determined to have sufficiency in both form and substance.

After conducting clarificatory hearings on the accusations raised, the Justice panel consolidated the complaints into four Articles of Impeachment concerning Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against high-ranking officials.

For Ridon, the evidence, testimonies, and documents that were presented substantiate the push for the impeachment of the Vice President and the need for an impeachment trial to be conducted in the Senate.

“At this point, the evidence has clearly established probable cause for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution,” he said.

In the upcoming plenary session later today, Justice Chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro is expected to present the Articles of Impeachment where lawmakers will be given time to deliberate and interpellate on the documents prior to the vote.

If lawmakers vote to impeach Duterte in the House, the articles will then be sent to the Senate, while Congress will elect 11 solons to make up the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua stated in an interview with DZMM on Sunday, 10 May, that he anticipates that a vote would be conducted to decide the prosecutors either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Among the names that have been floated to make up the group were Chua, Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima, 1Rider Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, San Juan Rep. Ysabel Zamora, Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, and Bukidnon Rep. Keith Flores.

Similar to the proceedings undertaken by the House Justice Committee, Duterte, as the respondent in the case, would also be able to decide whether she wishes to attend the hearings.