House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez yesterday accused Vice President Leni G. Robredo of having direct involvement in the filing of an impeachment complaint against President Duterte by Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano.
Alvarez, who earlier described the filing of the case as an act of “stupidity,” said Robredo stands to be the beneficiary in case the impeachment complaint prospers and Duterte is removed from office.
“Definitely yes. Sino pa ang magbe-benefit diyan?” Alvarez responded when asked in a television interview to clarify his statement linking Robredo to the complaint.
He noted that there has been a series of events initiated by the opposition as part of an alleged calculated design to oust Duterte.
Alvarez said the filing of the impeachment case is part of a destabilization plot that is aimed at heading off Robredo’s own removal as a result of a pending election protest filed against her.
The House official was referring to the electoral contest filed by former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.
Marcos has sought a recount of the voting in the 2016 vice presidential race that proclaimed Robredo as the winner over him.
“Maliwanag na maliwanag po. Nakita naman natin na kahit sa United Nations ay nagpadala pa siya ng tape, na sinasabi niya na ’yung mga reklamo dito sa Pilipinas daw,” he said.
Alvarez was referring to the video tape sent by Robredo to the United Nations Commission on Narcotics and Drugs which is set to hold its 60th annual meeting in Vienna, Austria.
In the video message set to be shown during the meeting, Robredo urged the UN to look into Duterte’s war on drugs that has resulted in the death of at least 8,000 individuals since it was launched by the Chief Executive in June 2016.
Alvarez belittled the impeachment complaint as having no basis but aimed merely to speed up Robredo’s ascension to power and prevent her being ousted through the PET proceedings. (Ben R. Rosario)