The House of Representatives will not be swayed by political threats from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) ahead of Monday’s vote on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said on Sunday.
In a statement, he said congressmen ‘will not be cowed, blackmailed, or threatened’ in carrying out their constitutional duty, including handling impeachment charges.
‘Voting on impeachment is not an act of political persecution. It is a solemn constitutional obligation,’ he said.
Ortega issued the remarks after the PDP, once the ruling political party, threatened to blacklist lawmakers voting in favor of elevating the charges to the Senate, saying ‘they will not be allowed to cross over to the party.’
It also said it might field ‘competitive’ candidates in the districts of lawmakers who vote for Duterte’s impeachment.
‘The voice that matters to us is not the voice of a discredited political party trying to regain relevance,’ Ortega said. ‘It is the voice of our constituents – the Filipino people – who expect public officials to answer serious allegations through constitutional processes.’
Duterte faces the possibility of being tried by the Senate as lawmakers are inclined to indict her over corruption and constitutional violations, potentially sending the charges to the upper chamber on Monday