Imee on impeachment complaint vs. Bongbong: 'Drama series'

Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday brushed off the impeachment complaint filed against her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., likening the move initiated by a lawyer to a “drama series.” 

“Isa na namang drama series na mukhang tatagal ng isang taon… Kilala naman natin kung sinong nag-file at anong background kaya ‘yun nga, baka drama series lang ito para sa isang taong tagal,” she said in a press conference. 

(This seems like another drama series that would last for a year... We all know who filed the complaint and what his background is, so maybe this is just a drama series for a year.) 

Atty. Andre de Jesus on Monday filed an impeachment complaint against Marcos with the House of Representatives. The complaint was endorsed by Pusong Pinoy Party-list Representative Jett Nisay. 

Asked if she thinks the impeachment complaint against her brother would succeed, Imee said, “Hindi ko nabasang maigi eh kasi natatawa ako sa itsura… Wala, masyadong obvious na drama series. Marami tayong napanood na na pelikula na ganoon eh.” 

(I wasn’t able to read the complaint thoroughly because it looks funny to me... It's too obvious that it’s a drama series. We've seen a lot of movies like that.)

In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Malacañang does not want to comment on remarks that have no basis and are full of insinuations, especially from a person who's obviously biased. 

''Hindi namin nais komentuhan ang mga kwentong walang basehan, puro hula, puro insinuations, at kung ito ay nagmumula sa mga taong may tunay na kinikilingan,''

In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Malacañang does not want to comment on remarks that have no basis and are full of insinuations, especially from a person who's obviously biased. 

''Hindi namin nais komentuhan ang mga kwentong walang basehan, puro hula, puro insinuations, at kung ito ay nagmumula sa mga taong may tunay na kinikilingan,'' Castro said.

(We do not want to comment on stories that are baseless, pure speculation, or pure insinuations, or if they come from people with real bias.)

'Not good'

Earlier, Malacañang said that the impeachment complaint against the President is not good for the economy, noting that it is actually an obstacle for the Chief Executive.

This was Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro's response as she was asked to comment on Davao City first district Representative Paolo Duterte who also described the impeachment complaint filed against the Chief Executive as mere "drama."

''Kung 'yan ang nasa isip niya wala po tayong magagawa pero hindi po natin alam kung ano ang intensyon ng mga taong nagsampa ng impeachment complaint, at the same time, ang pagsasampa ng impeachment complaint ay sagabal din sa Pangulo kaya wag niyang isipin na parang mahina 'yung kaso or what,'' Castro said in an interview on Unang Balita. 

(If that's what's on his mind, we can't do anything about it, but we don't know the intention of those who filed the complaint, and at the same time, the filing of an impeachment complaint against the President is actually an obstacle, so he should not think of it as weak.) 

''Hindi ito maganda sa paningin ng tao, hindi maganda sa paningin ng ibang mga foreign countries so di rin ito maaaring maganda sa paningin para sa ekonomiya, so huwag niyang maliitin ang impeachment complaint,'' she added.

(This is not good in the eyes of the public or even for foreign countries, so this is also not good for the economy, so he should not belittle this impeachment complaint.)

Grounds

De Jesus had said President Marcos is unfit to serve as president due to his alleged drug addiction which impairs his judgment, erodes discipline, and undermines moral authority.

He even cited the statement of Imee Marcos in November last year, claiming the chief executive has been using drugs. 

Other grounds for the impeachment complaint against Marcos included his alleged violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by surrendering former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as well as alleged engagement in graft and corruption through kickbacks and ghost projects.

Malacañang, on the other hand, recognized the filing of complaints as part of the democratic process provided for under the Constitution. It said that the President fully upholds the Constitution and remains confident in the strength of democratic institutions. —with reports from Anna Felicia Bajo/ VAL, GMA Integrated News