(Eagle News) – Liberal Party members in Congress who are allied with the House of Representatives’ majority bloc have issued their position that they would reject any impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte and their chairman, Vice-President Leni Robredo – a move which Malacanang welcomed.
Deputy Majority Leader and Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo said their group, consisting of 15 LP members, have already told Robredo of their decision.
Quimbo said the impeachment moves would only “distract us from the many important matters that Congress should be giving priority to.”
“For these very imperative reasons, the LP House majority caucus members present categorically took a position that we will not support any of the impeachment complaints filed against the leaders of the land,” he said.
Impeachment moves, only counter-productive
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said this LP position was a “welcome” move, since any impeachment actions right now would harm the economy and undermine the majority of Filipinos who voted for President Duterte.
“We welcome the Liberal Party’s position not to support any impeachment move against President Rodrigo Duterte,” Abella said.
“Any impeachment process would be counterproductive for the Philippines which has been described to be the fastest growing in Southeast Asia. We therefore have to seize our economic momentum and not to be derailed by destructive politics,” he explained.
Robredo confirms LP meeting
Robredo has confirmed this LP position allied with the Congress’ majority, as she also confirmed the meeting that happened of LP members with her.
But she said many party members were not able to attend the said meeting which happened on April 20.
Robredo said administrative matters were initially discussed, and then the issue of the impeachment followed.
Quimbo said: “We came to a common consensus on the following matters: We strongly believe that the taking up by the House of Representatives of any impeachment complaint today will only be divisive as well as polarizing.”
There are 32 Liberal Party solons in the House of Representatives, and 27 of them are with the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) which is leading the majority bloc in Congress.
Of their members only five are supportive of the impeachment complaint against Duterte filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary
Alejano who belongs to the so-called second opposition force in Congress – the “Magnificent Seven.”
The group “Magnificent Seven” is led Liberal Party solons, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, and is still pushing to impeach Duterte even though they don’t have the numbers.
There are some 200 congressmen under the super-majority bloc, the multi-party administration coalition led by the PDP-Laban.
Presidential spokesperson Abella said this move to impeach the President was nothing but an “an attempt to subvert the people’s will.”
Duterte, a former mayor of Davao City for 23 years, has been voted into office as President by at least 16 million Filipinos.
