Sandro Marcos recuses self from impeach proceedings vs dad Bongbong

House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos on Monday said he will not participate in the deliberations on the impeachment complaints filed against his father, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., saying doing so will preserve the integrity of the House of Representatives.

“In view of the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who is my father, I have decided to formally recuse myself from all discussions, deliberations, and proceedings of the House Committee on Rules insofar as these complaints are concerned,” the lawmaker said in a statement.

“This decision is guided not by legal compulsion, but by a higher obligation—to preserve the integrity of the House of Representatives, to protect the credibility of its processes, and to uphold the public’s trust in our constitutional system,” he added.

There are two impeachment complaints filed against President Marcos, Jr. so far:

• the complaint filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus and endorsed by Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep. alleging that the President should be impeached due to betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, among others, over the following alleged acts: ordering and enabling the kidnapping and surrender of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC), being a drug addict whose condition impairs his judgment and leadership, failing to veto unprogrammed appropriations and other unconstitutional provisions of the national budget for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, among others and
• the complaint filed by Makabayan coalition endorsed by party-list opposition lawmakers Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, Sarah Elago of Gabriela and Renee Co of Kabataan party-list alleging that the President committed  betrayal of public trust over the adoption of the Baselined-Balanced-Managed (BBM) Parametric Formula in allocating infrastructure projects that allegedly led to "ghost", substandard, and overpriced flood management projects, among others.

"While I am fully aware that the Rules of the House do not require my inhibition, and while I remain confident in the independence and professionalism of my colleagues, I recognize that leadership sometimes calls for restraint rather than participation. In moments that test institutions, perception matters as much as procedure,” the Ilocos Norte representative said.

He said the House must be allowed to discharge its constitutional duties without any shadow of personal interest, real or imagined.

"My recusal ensures that no question may be raised about the fairness, objectivity, or legitimacy of the process, and that the focus remains where it properly belongs—on the Constitution, the facts, and the rule of law,” he added.

Further, the House majority leader said his recusal is an affirmation of his mandate as a lawmaker.

“I take this step not as a retreat from responsibility, but as an affirmation of it. Public office is a trust, and that trust is strengthened when those who hold power are willing to step aside to protect the institution they serve” he said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News