As of Tuesday, May 5, close to 200 members of the House of Representatives have signified their readiness to support the adoption of the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon shared the development during a chance interview while lawmakers awaited plenary action on the four-point impeachment measure.
”I think, as we speak, we are looking at almost 200 already–House members who are signifying their intent to support the impeachment,” Ridon said.
The articles require a minimum one-third vote of the entire chamber—translating to 106 out of the 318 congressmen—to be adopted and forwarded to the Senate. Such an outcome will officially impeach the Vice President and prompt the commencement of a Senate tribunal.
The House plenary is slated to cast its votes on May 11 for the adoption of the following articles of impeachment:
- Misuse and irregular liquidation of confidential funds totaling at least ₱500 million in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and ₱112.5 million in the Department of Education (DepEd);
- Amassing unexplained wealth and failing to fully disclose assets in her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN);
- Bribery and corruption involving officials under her authority; and
- Contracting or soliciting acts of violence, including alleged threats against top government officials.
When asked to comment on Vice President Duterte’s assertion that the required one-third vote threshold would not be reached, Ridon expressed absolute certainty in the lower house’s case.
”Tiyak ho kami kasi tiyak ho kami sa ebidensya. Tiyak ho kami sa ₱6.7 billion total transactions na pumasok po at lumabas sa mga accounts po ng mag-asawang Duterte. At tiyak ho kami sa ₱448 million na pinapasoli ho sa kanya. Tiyak ho kami doon sa pagbabanta laban ho sa Pangulo.”
”So that is the source of confidence of the House Committee on Justice,” the lawmaker added.
Ridon explained that the ultimate goal is to mobilize at least 250 supporters behind the articles of impeachment, which the senator-judges will subsequently evaluate as the basis for a potential conviction of the nation’s second-highest official.
”Tingint ko matutuloy po talaga yun sa trial at the level of the Senate…sila na ho bahala syempre, as an independent body on how they will actually treat the articles of impeachment as soon as they reach their office,” he said.
Ultimately, the lawyer-legislator emphasized that the upcoming plenary vote would demonstrate a broad plurality, uniting various political factions and major party-lists within the legislative chamber.
”I think multi-parties din naman po yung magsu-support sa impeachment so… and members of several parties and party-lists…the major political parties will be supporting it, all of the major political parties will be represented in that at least 200 to date that we expect will support the impeachment.”