The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is set to file a second impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, citing alleged betrayal of public trust tied to the national budget and floodgate projects.
Bayan president Renato Reyes said the complaint, backed by the three-member Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, points to the “systematic and large-scale plunder of public funds” through presidential and congressional “allocations” for pet projects. It also highlights the “unprecedented abuse of unprogrammed appropriations” flagged by ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, as well as an alleged kickback scheme involving top officials.
“The system of ‘allocables’ and unprogrammed appropriations remains to this day. The SOPs and kickbacks involving top officials of the administration have not been investigated,” Reyes said.
“These only demonstrate the President’s complicity in corruption. Everyone involved must be held accountable, starting from the top,” he stressed.
The complainants include members of allied organizations, taxpayers, workers, farmers, students, teachers, the urban poor, professionals and anti-corruption advocates.
This comes just days after lawyer Andre de Jesus filed the first impeachment complaint against Marcos on 19 January, also for betrayal of public trust, citing the alleged turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC and flood control corruption involving some of his officials.
The first complaint has been transmitted to the Office of the Speaker for proper action, confirmed House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil.
“Pursuant to established procedure, the Office of the Secretary General has transmitted the verified impeachment complaint to the Office of Speaker Faustino G. Dy III for appropriate action,” Garafil said, explaining that her office’s role is strictly administrative, following the Constitution and House rules.
Once officially included in the Order of Business, the complaint will be referred to the House justice committee for review, according to Rep. Gerville Luistro, chairperson of the committee.
With the second complaint, Marcos now faces two impeachment cases barely a week into the year, marking the first such proceedings against him since he assumed office.