Amid the Absence of VP Sara Duterte, House Pushes Through with Impeachment Hearing
House of Representatives members brought with them “Piattos” placed in a “Mary Grace” paper bag at the impeachment hearing of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Two (2) impeachment complaints against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte were previously found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds by the Committee on Justice of the lower chamber. The panel moved to assign dates for the impeachment hearing.
The House Justice panel is allowed to continue its legal proceedings despite the Congressional recess that runs from March 21 to May 3. Today is the first hearing set for the impeachment raps against the Vice President.
However, Atty. Michael Poa, the lawyer of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, has previously confirmed that she will not attend the House impeachment hearing. Their camp is questioning the constitutionality of the legal proceedings.
Despite the absence of the Vice President, the House Committee on Justice pushed through with the impeachment hearing against VP Sara Duterte. The panel has also invited the complainants behind the impeachment raps filed against the Vice President.
Here are some of the grounds raised in the impeachment complaints filed against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte that were found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds by the House of Representatives’ Justice Committee:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
Today, at the House impeachment hearing, some members of the lower chamber — specifically Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, Rep. Chel Diokno, and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima brought with them “Piattos” for snacks. Based on News5, the popular local snack is packed inside a “Mary Grace” paper bag.
To recall, “Mary Grace Piattos” is one of the controversial names in the alleged list of recipients of the confidential funds of the offices led by Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Her camp has refused several times to identify the identity of the person behind the alleged fake name to supposedly avoid posting a risk.
