Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez today tagged Vice President Leni Robredo for direct involvement in the filing of the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano on Thursday.
“Definitely yes. Sino pa ang magbe-benefit diyan?” Alvarez answered when asked in a TV interview to clarify his statement on the possible involvement of Robredo in the impeach move.
Alvarez noted that the filing of the impeachment complaint came on the heels of a video message Robredo sent to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs where she criticized the conduct of the administration’s war against illegal drugs.
“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,” Alvarez said.
According to the Speaker, Robredo is likely worried that a recount of the ballots cast for Vice President in the last elections would reveal she is not the real winner.
Robredo is facing an election protest lodged by her rival, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, which recently decided to proceed with the hearing of the case.
“Malamang natatakot siya na kapag binilang yung resulta noong eleksyon ay talagang hindi aabot dahil alam naman niya na hindi totoong talagang nanalo siya,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said that while Pres. Duterte himself said during the graduation rites at the Philippine Military Academy that Robredo is not involved in the destabilization plots against the administration, he believes otherwise.
“Yun po ang pananaw ng ating Pangulo, ngayon ang aking pananaw ay iba naman,” Alvarez said.
Meanwhile, Alvarez clarified that his comment that the complaint is “stupidity” is nothing personal.
“Ang sinasabi ko lang na stupidity dahil po kung alam naman natin na kulang sa substance yung ating fi-nile ay sasayangin po namin ang oras ng Kongreso. Marami pong nakabinbin, maraming panukalang batas,” he explained.
Alvarez also dismissed the claim of Alejano that a few allies of Pres. Duterte are supporting the impeachment complaint.
“Puwede naman po kasing mag-claim kahit sabihin natin na maraming sumasama sa amin. Ganoon din ho yung nangyari noong botohan ng death penalty di ho ba,” Alvarez said.
Instead of wasting the time of Congress, Alvarez has this advice to Alejano and his group: “Siguro maging tapat lang tayo doon sa sinumpaan natin na gagawin natin ang lahat para protektahan yung ating Saligang Batas.”
/via Jervis Manahan