(Eagle News) — The House of Representatives on Monday (May 15) started deliberations on the impeachment complaint filed against President Rodrigo Duterte by Magdalo Party List Rep. Gary Alejano last March, with the House leaders questioning Alejano on his personal knowledge on the contents of his complaint.
As the hearing progressed, Alejano admitted he had no personal knowledge as to the material allegations on his complaint but that he had just perused newspaper reports and other testimonies against Duterte which he believed to be true.
At the start of deliberations, House leaders questioned Alejano if he has “personal knowledge” on his claim that there were more or less 8,000 individuals killed in President Duterte’s war on drugs.
He was also questioned on his other claim that there were 1,424 individuals killed allegedly by the President starting 1998 to 2015.
House Majority leader Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas said that he has to clarify if Alejano has personal knowledge of what he has attested to be of his personal knowledge.
“Let the committee do its job,” Farinas, who is also chair of the committee on rules said.
“You are appearing here as a complainant. Sagutin mo lang ito?” he said when Alejano was insisting that he be given an opportunity to read his opening remarks.
Farinas explained that the first thing that the committee should do is to verify if there was sufficiency in form with regard to the complaint, and a part of that is to verify if Alejano had indeed personal knowledge of his allegation against Duterte.
“Alam ko naman ang sagot mo ay hindi e,” Farinas said when Alejano insisted in explaining himself.
“Dapat si Matobato o si Lascanas po ang nanumpa dito at kayo ang nag-endorse nito,” he said referring to Edgar Matobato, the self-confessed hitman of the alleged Davao Death Squad, and retired police officer Arturo Lascanas who later flip-flopped and testified to support Matobato in the Senate.
Farinas explained that his complaint was a unique one as a lawmaker himself was the complainant, and was the endorser of his own complaint.
When Alejano refused to answer directly, House justice committee chair Rep. Reynaldo Umali told Alejano that if he only has “hearsay evidence, that will not stand trial.”
Umali said the rules of evidence pointed out that personal knowledge should be derived from “one’s own perception.”
“Hindi pwede yung perception ng others na in-adopt mo, that cannot be,” Umali told Alejano.
Sagip Party List Representative Rodante Marcoleta also spoke during the hearing, saying that a perusal of Alejano’s complaint showed that he has no personal knowledge of his allegations, and that his complaint is only based on the “internet and on newspaper reports.”
“All these records have been sourced from the website. Under the rules, this is inadmissible as evidence. If so, if this is established, then the impeachment complaint will fall,” Marcoleta said.
“The impeachment complaint will rise and fall within the verification phase,” he said.
He said that if Alejano had no personal knowledge, then his impeachment complaint will be dismissed.
Farinas also noted how articles from Inquirer, Rappler and even from “The Guardian” are being cited as evidence by Alejano in his impeachment complaint.
Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon said that if there Alejano had no personal knowledge, the case can be outrightly dismissed.
“Kapag naghahabla ka, dapat alam mo, dapat nakita mo,” Leachon said.
“Kung walang nakalagay na ebidensya, ang tawag po doon ay fishing expedition,” he said.
Alejano admitted he had no personal knowledge as a witness on the claims he alleged in his complaint.
“Kayo po ang tumatayong complaint, pero wala po kayong kaalam-alam dito,” Farinas said.
“Maski isa walang authentic records dito. Delikado po kayo dito sa perjury,” he warned Alejano.
“In the meantime, propaganda na po ang nangyayari dito,” he said.
“Itong ginagawa na po ninyo, you will be subjected to an ethics case here,” he added.
