MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) stalwart and Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo believes that Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will consider the greater interest of the House in deciding whether or not to file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo.

“I think the Speaker has said it, but obviously, the Speaker is our leader. He’s a very mature leader and we are confident that he will take on a position that is going to be healthy for the House,” said Quimbo on Tuesday, March 21.

The highest-ranking LP member in the House was asked about Alvarez’s statement that he was mulling filing an impeachment complaint against Robredo after she criticized the Duterte administration’s drug war in a video sent to the United Nations (UN). 

The Speaker himself believes Robredo, LP chairperson, was behind the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano against President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to Quimbo, Alvarez may have the tendency to immediately say what is on his mind, but the Speaker is usually prudent when making major decisions concerning the House. 

“I know Speaker Bebot. Malalim ang kanyang pag-iisip. Marunong siyang makinig sa mga taong nakapaikot sa kanya. At sigurado akong nakikita niya ‘yung mas malawak na magiging epekto nito sa House of Representatives, na magiging kasangkapan tayo sa pamumulitika ng maraming tao,” said Quimbo.

(I know Speaker Bebot. He thinks things through. He knows how to listen to the people around him. And I’m sure he sees the potential wider effect of this on the House of Representatives, that we will become political tools of many people.) 

Two Marcos loyalists – lawyer Oliver Lozano and broadcaster Melchor Chavez – have drafted an impeachment complaint against Robredo and have asked Alvarez to endorse it.  

Quimbo, however, said it is a “baseless” complaint done by “recidivist impeachers.”

He also reminded Alvarez that lawmakers should concern themselves with important legislation. 

“Meaning, ‘wag tayong magpagamit diyan. Ang dami nating importanteng gawain. Pinag-uusapan natin ang tax reform, na kung saan may pag-asa tayo at pagkakataon na finally, mapapababa natin ang taxes ng ordinaryong mamamayan…. ‘Yung usapin ng criminal justice reform, ‘yung usapin ng reform ng ating Saligang Batas pagdating sa economic provisions na mas magpaparami ng trabaho,” said Quimbo. 

(Let’s not allow ourselves to be used. We have more important matters to attend to. We’re talking about tax reform – we now have the chance to finally lower the taxes of ordinary citizens….There’s criminal justice reform, reforming our Constitution in terms of economic provisions to increase jobs.)

“Mas importanteng gawain [ang mga ‘yan] na dapat nating ginagawa imbes na impeachment or political sideshow (These are more important for us to do instead of impeachment or other political sideshows),” he added.

Quimbo believes the impeachment complaints against Duterte and Robredo are both “doomed” to fail in Congress. – Rappler.com