Lawmakers from Vice President Sara Duterte’s traditional bailiwicks in the Visayas and Mindanao failed to rally behind her, overwhelmingly joining their Luzon colleagues in voting for her second impeachment in two years.
During the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City on May 16, Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon debunked the narrative that the impeachment was solely driven by lawmakers from “Imperial Luzon” or “Imperial Manila.”
Ridon highlighted that the House of Representatives voted 257-25-9 on May 13 to adopt the articles of impeachment against Duterte, effectively transmitting the case to the Senate for trial.
“`Yun pong 257 ay 80 percent ng kabuuan po ng Kamara. So overwhelming po ‘yung boto to impeach the Vice President,” Ridon said.
The party-list lawmaker pointed out that despite the Duterte family’s deep political roots in Cebu, Southern Leyte, and Davao City, local representatives chose not to block the proceedings.
“Even within the strongest bailiwicks of the Vice President and Dutertes within Mindanao, within Cebu, within Visayas, hindi po ito nag-turn out for the Vice President,” Ridon emphasized.
Official House records back Ridon’s assessment:
- Visayas: 43 out of 50 congressmen voted “yes” to impeach.
- Mindanao: 41 out of 61 lawmakers supported the impeachment.
- Luzon: 125 out of 142 legislators voted in favor of the measure.
In contrast, only 25 lawmakers voted against the impeachment. Of those who registered a “no” vote, eight were from Mindanao, six from the Visayas, five from Luzon, and six from the party-list bloc.
The Vice President faces an upcoming Senate trial over allegations concerning the misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, untruthful declarations in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), unexplained wealth, and uttering death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.