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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Rep. Yevgeny Emano of Misamis Oriental's second district said he opted to vote for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte to give the latter an opportunity to clear herself of the charges.
"I voted in the affirmative for the impeachment of VP Duterte believing that hearing the VP's side during the impeachment proceedings would clear her of the accusations hurled against her," Emano said in a statement released Thursday.
He explained that impeachment is a constitutional process that affords the impeached public official an opportunity to face the accusations.
According to Emano, the collegial decision to impeach the Vice President was a democratic exercise guided with fairness and justice.
The Manila Times tried to contact the two other congressmen in Misamis Oriental, namely Lourdan Suan of Cagayan de Oro's first district and Christian Unabia of Misamis Oriental's first district, to no avail.
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Rep. Rufus Rodriguez could not be contacted for comment on why he did not sign the impeachment charges.
Legarda lone lawmaker in Panay who did not back impeachment
Antique Rep. Antonio "AA" Legarda was the only lawmaker from Panay Island who did not vote for the impeachment of the vice president.
Almost all district and party-list representatives from Panay and Guimaras joined the more than 200 members of the House of Representatives (HOR) who voted to impeach Duterte, putting her on trial before the Senate.
Duterte is accused of misusing public funds, plotting against the president, bribery, links to extrajudicial killings, and other high crimes.
Those who signed the impeachment complaint included Reps. Carlito Marquez and Teodorico Haresco of Aklan; Emmanuel Billones and Jane Castro of Capiz; Janette Garin, Michael Gorriceta, Lorenz Defensor, Ferjenel Biron, and Raul Tupas of Iloilo province; Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda; Guimaras Rep. Lucille Nava; and party-list Reps. Lex Anthony Cris Colada (Aambis-OWA), Raoul Danniel Manuel (Kabataan), Howard Guintu (Pinuno), and James Ang Jr. (Uswag Ilonggo).
Legarda has yet to clarify his stance on the vice president's impeachment.
The lawmakers from Iloilo cited their constitutional duty to ensure accountability and allow the vice president to defend herself in the Senate.
Defensor, who will sit as one of the 11 prosecutors in the impeachment trial, said there was "clear evidence" of constitutional violations from the vice president.
Tupas echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the trial would provide Duterte with a venue to present her defense while ensuring due process.
"The HOR as an institution has decided to act on complaints based on substantial findings and evidence uncovered by the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability as well as the joint hearings conducted by quadcomm," he said.
Baronda released a statement justifying her decision to support the impeachment, noting that it would allow Duterte to clarify matters before the public and legislature, restore trust in democratic institutions, and ensure accountability.
"It ensures due process and allows her to clarify matters before the public and the legislature. By engaging in this legal proceeding, she can defend herself against the accusations, helping to resolve the controversy that has deeply divided the nation and restore trust in our democratic institutions," she explained.
Gorriceta also pointed to the Senate as the proper venue for Duterte to respond to allegations, particularly concerning intelligence funds and national security statements.
Garin clarified that her support for the impeachment was not politically motivated but rather based on substantial evidence and that impeachment was the best way for Duterte to clear her name.
Ang maintained that every individual has the right to defend himself or herself in the appropriate forum.
He also denied claims that lawmakers were promised budget incentives for supporting the impeachment, adding that the proceedings would ultimately determine whether the allegations against Duterte were substantiated.
Manuel, an Iloilo City native, accused Duterte of misusing government funds, specifically those allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when she was still the secretary.
2 Leyte reps back impeachment
Two of five representatives in Leyte — home province of Speaker and 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez — did not sign the impeachment complaint against Duterte.
These were Rep. Richard Gomez of the fourth district based in Ormoc City and Rep. Carl Nicolas Loreto-Cari of Leyte's fifth district based in Baybay City.
The Manila Times also tried to get the statements of Gomez and Cari but the efforts proved in vain.
The lawmakers from Leyte that voted in favor of the impeachment were Speaker Romualdez, Rep. Karen Tañala Javier of the second district and Rep. Anna Veloso-Tuazon of third district.
Rep. Veloso-Tuazon is daughter of former representative Veloso. She is already on her last term.
Biliran Rep. Gerardo "Gerry Boy" Espina Jr., Southern Leyte Reps. Luz Verano-Mercado of first district, Rep. Christopher Yap, Eastern Samar Rep. Ma. Fe Abunda, Northern Samar First District Rep. Paul Daza, and Rep. Christopher M. Ongchuan of the second district together with House Minority Leader and 4 PS Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan of Borongan City, Eastern Samar signed the impeachment.
In Samar, Rep. Jimboy Tan of the first district of Samar based in Calbayog City and his younger brother, Rep. Michael Tan of the second district, also did not sign the impeachment.
Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, wife of Speaker Romualdez, and Rep. Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list joined the impeachment signatories.
