Speaker says Constitution commands obedience, demands accountability

The 1987 Constitution demands accountability from public officials and leaders, Speaker Martin Romualdez has said.

During the Philippine Constitution Association (PHILCONSA)’s commemoration of the 1987 Constitution Day held late Monday, Romualdez said the Constitution was not a "passive" document.

“It commands obedience, it imposes limits, and most importantly, it demands accountability. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that no institution, no office, and no leader is ever beyond the reach of the law,” he said.

“We have seen how the Constitution, though written in ink, is tested by the tides of politics, governance, and power. It is resilient, but it is not indestructible. It relies on men and women—lawyers, jurists, scholars, legislators—who believe that no ambition is above the law, and no convenience justifies its disregard,” he added.

Romualdez delivered the speech at the PHILCONSA weeks after the House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, who was accused in the complaint of funds misuse, threatening to destabilize the government, among other allegations.

The Vice President has repeatedly denied allegations that she threatened President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. As regards the questioned use of confidential funds, her camp has said that she would answer the allegations before the Commission on Audit.

The Speaker is one of the 215 House members who endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte, well over one-third of the House required to send it to the Senate for trial.

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero has said that the upper chamber will only start the impeachment trial after the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July. 

Escudero earlier said that the Senate will not hold the trial during its break.

In his speech at the PHILCONSA event, Romualdez also said the Constitution is the soul of a nation and a covenant that binds leaders to their duty and protects the rights of every citizen.

In addition, the Speaker said that constitutionalists have to ensure that the rule of law does not become mere rhetoric.

“We do not simply commemorate a document—we reaffirm a legacy, a duty, and a cause that demands vigilance from all of us. Let this gathering serve as a renewal of that commitment,” he said.

“As we honor the legacy of those who framed our fundamental law, let us also recognize our obligation to defend it, interpret it with integrity, and apply it without fear or favor,” he added. —BM/NB, GMA Integrated News