THE PHILIPPINE House of Representatives is expecting a fourth impeachment complaint to be filed against Vice-President (VP) Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio on Monday, a House official said on Thursday.
House Secretary-General Reginald S. Velasco did not identify who will file the complaint nor the congressman who will endorse the complaint, but said a lawmaker from the House majority caucus floated the possibility of filing ouster charges against the embattled vice-president.
“They haven’t said how many will endorse it yet. They just said to wait for the fourth complaint,” he said in a phone interview with reporters in Filipino. “It was given to me in confidence. So, I cannot reveal their names until they actually file the fourth complaint.”
Ms. Duterte faces a slew of impeachment raps at the House, with previous impeachment complaints seeking her removal from office due to her inability to account for the use of P612.5 million worth of secret funds in 2022 and 2023.
The three impeachment complaints, filed by civil society groups, activists, and clergymen, similarly alleged that Ms. Duterte committed graft, corruption, bribery, and betrayal of public trust.
The Office of the Vice President did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Meanwhile, about “10 to 12” lawmakers from both the House majority and minority blocs expressed their willingness to endorse the filed impeachment complaints, according to Mr. Velasco. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
