Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano yesterday filed an impeachment complaint against President Duterte, saying that the Chief Executive should be ousted for culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Alejano, a former Marine captain who helped lead a coup d’etat against former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria M. Arroyo, said he filed the impeachment complaint to “prove that there is no destabilization plot” as claimed the other day by Duterte.
“Impeachment is a constitutional process of ousting a sitting President,” said Alejano, who cited an accusation aired by fellow putschist and Magdalo Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV as among the reasons why the Chief Executive should be ousted.
Trillanes’ accusation of unexplained wealth against Duterte covered five pages of the 17-page impeachment complained filed by Alejano.
Duterte became the third President to face impeachment. Former President now Manila Mayor Joseph E. Estrada resigned before being ousted in a Senate impeachment trial while Arroyo was confronted with three complaints that were soundly rejected by her House allies.
Duterte allies are confident that Alejano’s complaint that will pass through a political process in Congress will be defeated by the supermajority bloc headed by House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez.
The Chief Executive also enjoys a critical alliance with the House minority bloc led by Minority Leader Quezon Rep. Danilo E. Suarez.
So far, only seven congressmen belonging to the so-called “Magnificent Seven” are considered Duterte’s fiercest critics. Alejano is a member of this group.
Under the impeachment rules, a vote of one-third or at least 97 of the 293 House members will elevate an impeachment resolution for Senate trial.
In his complaint, Alejano accused Duterte of committing high crimes of bribery, multiple murder, and crimes against humanity for espousing a policy of encouraging law enforcers and vigilante groups of committing extra-judicial killings to win a personal campaign against drugs in the country.
Trillanes’ claim that Duterte acquired unexplained wealth stashed in secret bank accounts was cited as a violation of public trust.
According to the senator, Duterte did not report in his latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth properties under his name and that of his minor child Veronica Duterte.
Alejano said the President also maintains a joint bank account with daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio with the Bank of Philippine Islands branches on Julia Vargas Ave., Pasig City and EDSA Greenhills, San Juan City; and at Banco de Oro Unibank in Mandaluyong City.
“Sen. Trillanes asked the help of accountants and finance specialists to tally and figure out just how much money was actually deposited and or transferred into the subject bank accounts. Their final tally shows that P2.207 billion more or less flowed into the subject bank accounts from 2006 to 2015,” the complaint read.
At least 8,000 drug personalities have died through a wave of violence when Duterte authorized the implementation of the Philippine National Police’s “Oplan Tokhang” and “Oplan: Double Barrel,” said Alejano. (Ben R. Rosario)