Tindig Pilipinas drops impeachment complaint vs. VP Sara to support 3rd complaint

Tindig Pilipinas will withdraw the impeachment complaint it filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, the group said ahead of the start of deliberations on the impeachment complaints by the House Committee on Justice on Monday, March 2.

The civil society organization, who had filed the second impeachment complaint against Duterte, said that it will instead give its full support behind the third impeachment complaint, filed by religious groups, priests, and lawyers. 

“As the petitioners of the 2nd impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, we have decided to withdraw our case, and lend our full support behind the 3rd impeachment complaint containing the same grave allegations and substantial evidence as ours,” the organization said in a statement on Sunday. 

“Consolidating our support behind the third complaint will strengthen our position and help move the case forward to the Senate impeachment court,” it added. 

The second impeachment complaint was filed by Tindig Pilipinas convenor Kiko Aquino Dee, former presidential peace process adviser Ging Deles, Father Flavie Villanueva and others last February 2. It was endorsed by ML Party-list Representative Leila de Lima and Akbayan Representative Percy Cendaña.

Tindig Pilipinas and others accused Duterte of constitutional violations, graft and corruption, bribery and unexplained wealth, gross incompetence and abuse of power, and tolerating extrajudicial killings. 

“We believe that the impeachment process must proceed at the earliest possible time, free from procedural limbo and unnecessary legal delays that would otherwise obstruct the process. Dapat nang managot si VP Sara sa pandarambong at pang-aabuso niya sa kapangyarihan sa lalong madaling panahon [VP Sara must be held accountable for plunder and abuse of power as soon as possible],” the civil society group said. 

Tindig Pilipinas will formally withdraw their complaint on Monday. 

The third impeachment complaint was filed on February 9 by religious groups, priests, and lawyers. It accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption over the supposed misuse of at least P612 million worth of confidential funds.

If the complaints are found sufficient in form and substance, the House Committee on Justice will formally notify the Vice President, who will have 10 calendar days to submit her response.

Complainants will have three days to reply, and the respondent will have another three days to file a rejoinder, the panel said.

The panel will then vote on whether there is probable cause, which requires the majority vote of all committee members.

Should at least one-third of House members vote to adopt the committee report in plenary, the Articles of Impeachment will be transmitted to the Senate for trial, the committee explained. — BM, GMA Integrated News