The House Judiciary Committee will review Marcos’ impeachment appeals next week
By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, A reporter
The House Judiciary Committee will begin analyzing the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. next week, its chairman said on Tuesday, beginning a formal process to determine whether efforts to remove a top official over corruption allegations are justified.
Batangas lawyer Gerville R. Luistro, who heads the 39-member panel, said the committee will consider two complaints filed against Mr. Marcos and examine whether they meet the requirements of “condition and substance” under the rules of the House.
The process will determine whether the allegations are sufficient to bring the case to the floor of the House for a vote of the entire assembly.
“When the responsive pleadings have been completed, all the evidence has been submitted, and we have determined that the complaint is sufficient in form and content, then we will continue to assess whether there is sufficient basis to support it,” Ms. Luistro told reporters.
Complaints accuse Mr. Marcos for impeachment, violation of the constitution and betrayal of public trust – three of the five grounds for impeachment under the 1987 Constitution, along with bribery and other high crimes.
The allegations center on his alleged role in diverting billions of pesos of flood control funds from congressional districts, a program critics say encourages corruption among politicians, officials and private contractors.
“The fact that they are listed means that the impeachment complaint must focus and focus on these grounds,” said Ms. Luistro.
“We will see in the discussions about the sufficiency of the existing material if the statement of facts, the allegations contained in the impeachment complaint are sufficient to prove the grounds for impeachment,” he added.
He said the allegations must be based on the personal information of the witnesses or authentic records cited by the complainants.
Both of these complaints point to Mr. Marcos allegedly received compensation from contractors involved in flood control projects, claims that have sparked public outrage over governance and transparency.
The committee has 60 session days to complete the hearing and must present its findings to the caucus for a vote to send the case to the Senate, which will serve as an impeachment court.
Senators will then sit as judges, with the power to impeach the President and prevent him from holding public office again.
Ms. Luistro said the team is expected to work with “great independence and impartiality,” just as House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III dismissed the complaints. “Regardless of what the Speaker says, committee members are expected to examine, examine, and hear the impeachment complaint freely and impartially,” he said.
The Judiciary Committee is also preparing for the possible handling of concurrent impeachment petitions against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Former legislator Liza L. Maza said the new complaint against Ms.
“I am sure that we can hear both appeals for impeachment using the right strategies,” said Ms. Luistro. “This is a constitutional mandate that we have to deal with. It does not depend on our desire, our availability, or our preferences.”
Observers note that political divisions in Congress could affect the process. Marcos’s allies dominate the House, which could complicate efforts by opposition lawmakers to advance the petitions.
Arjan P. Aguirre, a professor of political science at Ateneo de Manila University, earlier said the committee may end up appearing impartial while secretly relying on dismissing complaints.
“They need to at least appear to be acting in good faith and doing the right thing,” said Mr. BusinessWorld. “We should not expect them to campaign or mobilize votes in their favor.”
Next week’s hearing will mark the first formal review of Mr. Marcos, has set the stage for what could be a politically charged test of his handling of one of the biggest corruption scandals in recent Philippine history.
