Garin to Sara Duterte: Impeachment is about accountability, not politics

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Janette Garin has countered Vice President Sara Duterte’s call to stop using calls for transparency to engage in politicking, reminding her that the impeachment proceedings were borne out of a yearning for accountability. In a press briefing on Friday, Garin said that acting on impeachment complaints — and pursuing a case after finding probable cause to impeach Duterte — are part of lawmakers’ duties under the 1987 Constitution. According to Garin, they cannot be selective in what job they have to fulfill, noting that lawmakers have been fulfilling their legislative roles despite the previous hearings in the House, and now, the impeachment trial at the Senate. “The government’s service to the people does not stop; it continues to address the needs of the people, Congress also moves, the Senate also works, but we cannot have selective tasks,” Garin told reporters at the Batasang Pambansa complex. “We cannot pick which part of our jobs will be the sole focus, because the impeachment trial is in accordance with the Constitution. It is our moral obligation and our moral duty,” she added. Garin said she does not understand where politicking comes into play in discussing Duterte’s alleged infractions, as elected officials are expected to maintain high standards — and threatening individuals run contrary to the code of conduct. “I cannot understand where her claims of self-serving political interest is coming from. Let us be clear, during the three days where we had impeachment trials, the prosecution was able to present the allegations under the Articles of Impeachment involving threats to the President, the First Family, and of course our former Speaker,” she said. “I don’t think that’s politicking because part of the responsibilities of an elected official, especially since you are holding the second highest position, part of a high post is a greater responsibility and accountability,” she added. Duterte, in an ambush interview at Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur last Wednesday, asked government officials to stop politicking and to refrain from hiding their alleged ill intentions behind calls for transparency and accountability. Also, Duterte said that government officials should focus on addressing peace and order concerns along with economic problems, as the people have long waited for progress to come. Duterte’s call to stop politicking came after the first week of her impeachment trial. After several months of waiting, the Senate Impeachment Court finally convened to start the trial and hear the evidence and witnesses. Out of the four Articles of Impeachment, the prosecution chose to discuss Article IV first, or the ground that focuses on Duterte’s threat to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assassinated if she herself gets killed. For Tuesday and Wednesday, the prosecution presented National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who investigated Duterte’s threats which she made in an online press briefing on November 23, 2024. In the online briefing, Duterte lashed out at the Marcos couple and Romualdez after her chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, was detained within the House premises. Lopez’s detention came after she was cited for contempt by the House committee on good government and public accountability of the 19th Congress, for allegedly committing undue interference during the panel’s investigation into alleged misuse of confidential funds within Duterte’s offices. As she was infuriated over Lopez’s detention and subsequent attempts to transfer her to the Correctional Institute for Women, Duterte badmouthed the Marcos couple and Romualdez. At one point, Duterte was asked if she is concerned about her security; she replied by urging people not to worry since she had contracted an assassin to kill the three if she herself gets killed. Aside from Calilung, several pieces of evidence were presented, like the prosecution’s move to show the actual briefing where Duterte threatened the three individuals, and the defense panel’s decision to give a preview to a video of Lopez crying and complaining about her detention. After showing the video of Lopez, the defense was quizzed by Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros if they believe that threats from Duterte were warranted if they had established that Lopez was oppressed. Hontiveros asked what the relevance of the video presented by the defense was — and whether the defense intends to establish that Duterte’s threats were borne out of Lopez’s detention. In response, Duterte’s lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa said that there was a “systematic oppression” from the House. Duterte’s trial is scheduled to resume on Monday, July 13, with the prosecution intending to present lawyer Jeremy Lotoc of the NBI. The prosecution said that for Tuesday, they will present Lopez, and then Capt. Belinda Bello of the House of Representatives’ Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms for Wednesday.