Zamora: No stopping impeachment vote on VP Sara

The House of Representatives will proceed with the voting on the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, with members allowed up to three minutes each to question the measure’s merits, House justice panel vice chairperson and San Juan Rep. Belle Zamora said.

“Mangyayari po mamaya ang botohan. As for the deliberations, we will allow them time of I think three minutes each person. Matutuloy po ang botohan mamaya and will be able to explain their votes afterwards,” Zamora said in a Balitanghali interview.

(The voting will happen later. As for the deliberations, we will allow about three minutes each person. The vote will proceed later, and they will be able to explain their votes afterwards.)

“It (casting an impeachment vote) is a constitutional duty on the part of Congress, kaya kailangan po nating gawin ito at matapos po ito,” she added.

(It is a constitutional duty on the part of Congress, so we need to do this and finish it.)

Zamora also expressed confidence that more than one-third of all House members required by the Constitution will vote in favor of the Vice President’s impeachment.

“We have at least 51 from the House justice committee. I believe madadagdagan pa po ang numero at higit po sa one-third ang makukuha natin. Kumpiyansa naman po kami na makukuha ang numero. At sa tingin ko po, wala namang gustong lumipat ng partido sa puntong ito,” she said.

(“We have at least 51 from the House justice committee. I believe the number will still increase and we will get more than one-third. We are confident we will reach the required number. And I don’t think anyone wants to switch parties at this point.”)

Zamora also called on Senator Imee Marcos to file charges if she has evidence supporting her claim that House members are receiving money in connection with the impeachment proceedings.

“Iyong mga paratang nga po ni Senator Imee na meron daw funds o kung ano man na matatanggap… siguro pangalanan po niya kung sino ‘yung nagsabi noon and come out in the open at magkaso po siya kung totoo ang sinasabi niya,” Zamora, a lawyer, said.

(Senator Imee’s allegations that there are supposed funds or payments… she should name who said that and come out in the open and file a case if what she is saying is true.”)

“Ang iba po ay may concerns dahil sila po ay tatakbo sa susunod na elections,” she added.

(Some have concerns because they will be running in the next elections.)

“Ang sinasabi nga po namin, tingnan niyo na lang po ang mga ebidensya at tayong lahat ay mananagot sa taong bayan,” Zamora said.

(What we are saying is just look at the evidence, and all of us will be accountable to the people.)

The Articles of Impeachment drafted by the House justice panel allege that the Vice President committed culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes, based on the following acts:

a) systematic misuse, misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million released to the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as Education chief;

b) amassing unexplained wealth manifestly disproportionate to her lawful income and earnings during her incumbency as a public official;

c) failure to fully and truthfully disclose all her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities, and net worth in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), including for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024;

d) failure to divest, and instead willfully continuing, all her business interests during her tenure as Vice President from 2022 to 2025;

e) giving monetary gifts or payments to DepEd officials to induce the violation or circumvention of procurement and other related laws; and

f) allegedly contracting for the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former Speaker of the House and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, through grave threats and alleged incitement to sedition against the Republic.—MCG, GMA News