Romer Butuyan 
SINOPLA ni House prosecution panel adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers ang pagbibida ng kampo ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa nakuha nitong 32.2 million votes sa nakaraang 2022 elections at tahasang sinabi na hindi ito dapat maituring na pagkakaroon na rin ng pribilehiyo na gumawa ng mga kabulastugan gamit ang posisyon sa gobyerno.
Pagbibigay-diin ni Barbers, na dating kinatawan sa Kamara ng Surigao del Norte ang pagbibida ni lead defense counsel, Atty. Sheila Sison sa nasabing milyones na boto ng bise-presidente ay mawawalang-saysay kung ito’y tutumbasan ng huli na maling paggasta sa P612.5 million confidential funds, pagkamal ng hindi maipaliwanag na yaman, panunuhol sa mga tauhan para baluktutin ang procurement process at bantang pagpapatay sa pangulo, first lady at mataas na opisyal ng House of Representatives.
“Does that mean because you’re the most powerful person in the government and because you were able to get X amount of votes, does that give you a license to commit all these violations? Sa aking palagay, medyo hindi iyon ang intensyon ng gumawa ng ating Saligang Batas,” mariing sabi ni Barbers.
“Kaya nga nilagay ito sa ating Constitution ay para proteksyunan ang interes ng ating mamamayang Pilipino laban sa mga posibleng pag-abuso o paglabag ng ating matataas na opisyal sa gobyerno,” dugtong niya.
Punto ni Barbers, ang impeachment proceedings ay isang constitutional accountability mechanism para sa hanay ng highest-ranking officials ng bansa.
“Under Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, only the President, Vice President, members of the Supreme Court, members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office through impeachment,” ani Barbers.
“These officials can only be removed through an impeachment process initiated by the House of Representatives and decided by the Senate,” dagdag ng veteran lawmaker.
“The Constitution does not exempt anyone from accountability simply because they received millions of votes. If there are allegations of violations of the Constitution or other laws, the impeachment process exists to determine whether those charges have merit,” pagtatapos ni Barbers.
