Bayan Muna Chairperson Neri Colmenares denounced the House Justice Committee’s dismissal of the impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos, calling it a revival of old arguments that once shielded former President Gloria Arroyo.
Colmenares criticized the committee’s ruling that the complaint lacked “sufficiency in substance” because it contained only allegations.
He argued that all complaints—civil, criminal, or impeachment—begin as allegations, with truth established only during hearings.
“This is a rehash of the Arroyo dismissals,” he said, stressing that dismissing cases at the procedural stage undermines accountability.
He explained that impeachment proceedings are divided into three stages: procedural review, hearings where evidence is presented, and the final report.
At this stage, he noted, the question is simply whether the allegations, if proven, constitute an impeachable offense.
He pointed to claims in the complaint that Marcos received ₱1 billion in kickbacks through Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz, saying such allegations, if substantiated, clearly amount to betrayal of public trust.
Colmenares warned that the committee’s interpretation makes impeachment “an impossible dream” for citizens seeking accountability.
“Impeachment is the only constitutional mechanism to hold top officials to account. If complaints are dismissed outright as mere allegations, then accountability becomes a myth,” he said.
He urged lawmakers to abandon this restrictive reading of impeachment rules and allow at least one-third of the House to give the people a chance to scrutinize how public funds are spent.
“We should make impeachment accessible, not reduce it into an impossible dream,” Colmenares concluded. (ZIA LUNA)
