Robredo legal adviser: Critics’ accusations in impeach rap ‘mere lies’

Vice President Leni Robredo’s legal adviser on Wednesday dismissed as lies the grounds cited by her vocal critics in submitting an impeachment complaint against the country's second highest elected official.

In a statement, lawyer Barry Gutierrez reiterated that the impeachment rap is baseless. 

He said the complaint, drafted by a group of lawyers that call themselves Impeach Leni Movement, is part of a “concerted” campaign to discredit the Vice President in a bid to steal her position.

“Ang sinasabing mga basehan ng reklamo laban kay VP Leni ay pawang kasinungalingan lamang,” Gutierrez said.

Grounds

The Impeach Leni Movement is seeking Robredo’s impeachment over betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption.

Among the incidents they cited was the Vice President’s controversial video message to a side session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in March, where she raised irregularities in the administration’s drug war.

the group’s spokesman, lawyer Bruce Rivera, chided the Vice President for the said recorded speech, saying she was speaking “as a sovereign representing the Philippines.”

He said the “basic defects” of the video message are rooted on unverified claims, notably over the rise of summary killings in the country and the so-called “palit-ulo” scheme.

Rivera noted that this was not the only basis of their complaint.

He claimed that Robredo misdeclared her Meralco shares in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), noting that misdeclaration led to the impeachment of the late former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

He said they have requested for the Vice President’s recent records, but did not get a response.

The group also alleged that during Robredo’s five-month stint as Housing czar, money from the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) was used to sponsor a national convention in the US that was not related to housing.

In response, Gutierrez reiterated the video message was “not a betrayal” against the country, but truth-telling was part of Robredo’s mandate.

He also denied the alleged misuse of Pag-IBIG Funds.

“Ang track record ni VP Leni ay malinis at walang bahid ng kurapsyon. Walang ginastos na pondo ng gobyerno sa kaniyang pagpunta sa Estados Unidos noong Agosto 2016, at mas lalong walang perang nagmula sa HUDCC o anumang ahensiya na nasa ilalim nito,” Gutierrez said.

‘Not filed’

He also underscored that the rap is not yet filed at the House of Representatives, as the group has yet to secure an endorsement from a lawmaker.

“Nananatiling mga sabi-sabi at paratang ang kanilang nilalabas sa taumbayan,” Gutierrez said. “Kung walang kongresistang nagnanais na mag-sponsor ng kanilang impeachment complaint, ipinapakita lamang nito na mahina at walang basehan ang kanilang reklamo.”

The Impeach Leni Movement earlier announced that they would be submitting the said complaint at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

According to Rivera, they sent the complaint to a congressman’s office instead. He did not identify the male lawmaker they were in talks with.

PBA Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles, whose name had been floated earlier in the day, denied that he was endorsing the complaint, and scored the group for allegedly “misrepresenting” him. 

Nograles, a nephew of President Rodrigo Duterte, later accepted Rivera’s response that it was a “miscommunication.” — RSJ, GMA News