Impeachment bid vs. Bongbong Marcos baseless — Palace

Malacañang maintained Friday that the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte was legal, saying that criticisms against the government's role in the matter were baseless.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked during a Palace briefing about the intention of former National Youth Commission chairperson Ronald Cardema and his wife, Marie Cardema, to file an impeachment complaint against Marcos over the arrest and detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

While it is their right to file an impeachment complaint, Castro said, the government only honored its commitment with the Interpol to serve the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.

''Karapatan po nila kung nais po nilang magsampa. Pero inuulit po natin, ang complaint na ‘to, ay sa ating pagtingin ay walang pinaghuhugutan. Uulitin ulit natin, ang Pangulo at ang administrasyon ay gumaganap lamang ng kanilang katungkulan at ang batas ay pinapairal pati na po ang kanilang commitment sa Interpol,'' Castro said.

(It's their right if they want to file a complaint. But we reiterate that this complaint is baseless. The President and the administration only do its mandate and it also honored its commitment with the Interpol.)

''Kung mayroon mang sariling interes patungkol dito, nanaisin pa ba nila na hindi sundin ang batas, hindi ipagpatuloy ang commitment or talikuran ang commitment sa Interpol para sa mga taong inaakusahan ng crimes against humanity?'' she added.

(If there's own interest regarding this, will they aim not to honor the commitment with the Interpol for people who were accused of crimes against humanity?)

In a statement, the Cardema couple said the Office of the House Secretary General Reginald Velasco did not receive their impeachment complaint even if it was supposedly a verified one as it has been endorsed by Duterte Youth partylist lawmaker Ducielle Cardema.

Ducielle is the sister of Ronald, who serves as Duterte Youth's chairperson.

Also on Thursday, youth leaders filed a petition with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to cancel the registration of the Duterte Youth partylist, according to the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NULP).

Senatorial candidates of the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas backed the Palace statement.

''Wala akong makitang basehan ‘no. Kasi maliwanag naman sa Saligang Batas kung ano ‘yong impeachable offenses laban sa mga impeachable officials ‘di ba? Culpable violation of the constitution. Nasaan ang culpable violation of the constitution?'' former Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said.

''Hindi ko makita kung ano ‘yong basehan kung bakit mayroong nag-file ng impeachment complaint,'' he added.

(I don't see any basis. The constitution is clear on the impeachable offenses by impeachable officials. Culpable violation of the constitution. Where is the culpable violation of the constitution?)

Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III thinks that this was just related to Eleksyon 2025.

''Wala. Wala ng oras e. Magre-resume sila June 2 hanggang June 13. Pagre-report out pa lang nun, pagre-report pa lang nun or pag-acknowledge pa lang ng receipt nun few days na. So obvious na may koneksyon sa eleksyon. Naninira sa eleksyon ganoon lang ‘yon,'' Sotto said.

(There's no more time. Congress will resume from June 2 until June 13. Reporting it out or acknowledging receipt will already run for a few days. This is connected to the elections. This is to put people in a bad light before the elections.)

ACT-CIS party-list Representative Erwin Tulfo also said that while it is their right to lodge a complaint, he is asking the basis for this. 

''Karapatan ng lahat, maaring mag-file ng impeachment complaint. Ang tanong lamang diyan, may basis ba? Problema diyan pag nakita ng Office ng Sec Gen sa Congress, may form ba at substance?'' he said. 

(Everyone has the right to file an impeachment complaint. The question is whether they have a basis. The issue there is if the Office of the Secretary General sees it. Does it have form and substance?) —VDV/RSJ/NB, GMA Integrated News