Robredo may be impeached over UNHRC probe on PHL —PACC exec

Vice President Leni Robredo could face impeachment for supporting the United Nations Human Rights Council's planned probe into the Philippine government's war on drugs, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Manuelito Luna said Saturday.

In a statement, Luna claimed that Robredo's supposed portrayal of the administration as guilty of human rights violations constitutes betrayal of public trust.

"VP Robredo's expression of support to the UNHRC resolution against the Philippine government may cause her to be impeached. For the nth time, she has made it appear that the government is guilty of human rights abuses, and that's betrayal of public trust," he said.

Article XI Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution read:

"The President, the Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. All other public officers and employees may be removed from office as provided by law, but not by impeachment."

"It's about time that she should be held to account for her political sins against the Filipino people," Luna said.

Sought for comment, Robredo's camp said the assertion of the PACC Commissioner is "nothing new."

“VP Leni has been threatened with impeachment before. This is nothing new or original. She has faced threats of impeachment, an electoral protest, online harassment, and fake news ever since she assumed office. She has never let any of these distract her from her focus on helping uplift the lives of her fellow Filipinos, particularly the poor, or prevent her from fulfilling the oath she took," Robredo’s spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez told GMA News Online.

Gutierrez said Robredo and her camp has "lived through worse" and "won't lose sleep over it."

Yung walang ginawang mali walang kailangang ikatakot,” Gutierrez said.

Robredo has urged the government to welcome the UN's inquiry into the human rights situation in the Philippines, if the government is not hiding something.

The Vice President has also said it is "shameful" that other countries have called for an investigation into the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

Earlier in the week, the UNHRC voted for a probe into thousands of killings in President Rodrigo Duterte's so-called "war on drugs" — a step that activists said was long overdue.

A resolution, led by Iceland, was adopted at the forum in Geneva by a vote of 18 countries in favor and 14 against, including China, with 15 abstentions, including Japan. —Jamil Santos/LBG/MDM, GMA News