President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday, January 17, that now is not the right time to discuss impeachment processes, citing the upcoming campaign period as a significant factor that makes such discussions impractical.
Responding to questions regarding Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile’s remarks on impeachment and the recent Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally, Marcos acknowledged Enrile’s legal expertise but underscored the challenges in proceeding with impeachment at this time.
“Well, you know, JPE is one of our best legal thinkers in the country. And he is right, there is a consequence to – there will be a precedent, and it will be very problematic,” Marcos said.
“Even if Congress is mandated to process these […], the House doesn’t have a choice, and the Senate doesn’t have a choice once these impeachment complaints are filed. But I still think that now is not the time to go through that,” Marcos added.
Marcos pointed out that the impending campaign period for the 2025 elections would hinder the legislative body’s ability to form a quorum, rendering impeachment proceedings impractical.
“Ipaubaya na muna natin sa ating… Tutal as a practical matter, papasok na tayo sa campaign period. Wala ng congressman, wala ng senador dahil nangangampanya na sila. Hindi tayo makakapagbuo ng quorum,” the President said.
Enrile, in a Facebook post earlier this week, said that impeachment is a constitutional legal mechanism designed to remove a government official from office, provided there are sufficient grounds and supporting evidence.
The INC previously mentioned that the massive rally, which drew an estimated 1.8 million participants across various parts of the country, was non-political despite expressing support for President Marcos’ position opposing impeachment efforts against his former running mate, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Marcos had earlier stated that he would not back any impeachment attempt against the Vice President, arguing that it would not contribute to improving the lives of Filipinos. (TCSP)
