Philippine lawmakers met on Tuesday to decide whether to advance impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is accused of betraying the public’s trust, engaging in corruption, and violating the constitution. Marcos, midway through his six-year term, denies any wrongdoing. He faces two separate complaints filed by a lawyer and activists, which cleared an initial step at the House justice committee on Monday when lawmakers ruled both were “sufficient in form.”
Committee Reviews Substance of Complaints
The committee reconvened on Tuesday to determine whether there was “substance” to move the complaints forward. Regardless of the committee’s decision, the matter would be put to a vote in the lower house of Congress, which is dominated by allies of the president. If the complaints succeed in a House vote, Marcos would become the second Philippine head of state to be impeached, following Joseph Estrada, whose 2001 trial was aborted after some prosecutors walked out.
Allegations Against Marcos
Among the allegations against Marcos is his decision to allow his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, to be arrested and sent to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court over thousands of killings during Duterte’s notorious “war on drugs.” Marcos is also accused of abusing his authority in spending public funds, leading to a corruption scandal over flood-control projects. Additionally, one of the complaints cites his alleged drug use, which he has denied, claiming it rendered him unfit to run the country.
Marcos’ Response
Marcos’ office has stated that the president respects the process. Presidential press officer Claire Castro told reporters that Marcos “did not do anything wrong, did not violate the law, and did not commit an impeachable offence.”
Possible Senate Trial
If the lower house votes to impeach Marcos, the case would be sent to the Senate for trial, where 24 senators would act as jurors. Historically, five top officials in the Philippines have been impeached, with only one a former chief justice convicted and removed from office. Marcos’ estranged Vice President Sara Duterte also faces impeachment complaints, following a previous complaint that was struck down by the Supreme Court last year.
Impeachment Process Explained
Gerville Luistro, who heads the justice committee, explained that the members would determine whether the alleged offences committed by Marcos were sufficient to constitute an impeachable offence. Luistro emphasized that it is not enough for an official to have committed wrongdoing; the act must meet the threshold for impeachment. If lawmakers vote to advance the complaint, Marcos would have the opportunity to respond to the allegations. Advancing the impeachment requires the support of one-third of the House of Representatives.
With information from Reuters.
