House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” D. Alvarez finds it unnecessary to conduct a loyalty check among members of the super majority to kill the impeachment complaint against President Duterte.
“Wala na, hindi na kailangan ng loyalty check diyan,” Alvarez said in an interview.
He expressed confidence that the House Committee on Justice, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, will not endorse the complaint for plenary debates and approval.
“I doubt it kung makakarating sa plenaryo iyan eh kasi tiningnan ko ang allegations as a lawyer, ang hirap pong patunayan iyan. Hindi ko pa, pero puro lang hearsay at walang personal knowledge,” he said.
“Recommendation to dismiss the impeachment complaint is definite,” Alvarez, secretary general of the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, said.
Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said Alvarez should not be overly confident about the support of the super majority, anticipating that it might break down, especially that the coalition only caters to political interests.
He noted that the party coalition in the country is “based on the interest of the parties, and is based on convenience.”
“The moment that the interest of a party is not served … the coalition could break up,” Alejano said.
House Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, described Alejano’s filing of an ouster complaint as “an exercise in futility that will waste Congress’ precious time.” (Charissa M. Luci)
