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“THIS is not an act of defiance. It is an act of duty.”
Ito ang mariing ipinahayag ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez matapos ang pormal na paghahain ng Motion for Reconsideration sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema na nagdeklarang “unconstitutional” ang impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Giit ni Romualdez, ipaglalaban ng Kamara ang nakaatang na mandato sa ilalim ng 1987 Constitution kaugnay ng pagsasakdal sa bise presidente at naging hatol ng high tribunal.
“We speak now not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. The House will not bow in silence,” wika ni Romualdez.
Para kay Romualdez, natatangi ang konstitusyonal na mandato ng Kamara na magsimula ng mga kasong impeachment at marapat lamang na muling pag-aralan at itama ng Supreme Court ang inilabas na desisyon.
“With full respect for the Constitution, in defense of institutional balance, and in the name of the Filipino people, the House of Representatives has filed a Motion for Reconsideration before the Supreme Court,” dagdag ng Leyte solon.
“We do not challenge the authority of the Court. We seek only to preserve the rightful role of the House – the voice of the people – in the process of accountability,” paglilinaw ni Romualdez.
Ang paghahain aniya ng apela ay upang itama ang maling pagbasa sa mga katotohanan at mga pahirap na patakarang ibinase ng Korte Suprema sa nakaraan, na aniya’y sumisira sa Konstitusyon at sa karapatan ng taumbayan na maningil ng pananagutan mula sa matataas na opisyal.
“Let us be clear: The Constitution says: ‘The House of Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.’ That power is not shared. Not subject to pre-approval. And not conditional,” giit ni Romualdez.
“Yet in G.R. No. 278353, the Supreme Court ruled otherwise, based on a misreading of facts and a retroactive imposition of new rules,” patuloy niya.
Binigyang-linaw pa niya, ang layunin ng apela ay hindi upang hamunin ang ibang institusyon, kundi upang mapigilan ang pagguho ng karapatan ng taumbayan na maningil ng pananagutan.
Diin ng lider-kongresista, kumilos ang Kamara alinsunod sa itinakdang panahong 10 session days ng Konstitusyon nang ipinadala nito sa Senado ang ikaapat na reklamo ng impeachment noong Pebrero 5, 2025.
“On February 5, 2025, the House transmitted the fourth impeachment complaint – filed and signed by 215 Members – to the Senate. Only after this transmittal did we archive the earlier three complaints. That sequence matters. It proves there was only one valid initiation, not four,” paliwanag niya.
“Even the Court’s own precedent – Francisco v. House – supports this: Only one impeachment can be initiated, and that initiation begins with a one-third endorsement or a referral. That is exactly what the House did,” dagdag ng House Speaker. (ROMEO ALLAN BUTUYAN II)
