MANILA — The Makabayan bloc condemned the adoption of the House of Representatives plenary of dismissal of impeachment complaints against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Feb. 10.
Insufficient in substance was the House Committee on Justice’s reason for dismissing the two impeachment complaints received on Feb. 4 as both failed to meet constitutional requirements
The first complaint was filed by Andre De Jesus and the second one was filed by individuals led by former lawmaker Liza Maza. The De Jesus complaint was endorsed by Pusong Pinoy Rep. Jett Nisay while the Maza et al. complaint was endorsed by the Makabayan bloc.
Both complaints accused Marcos Jr. of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.
Read: Makabayan solons, 30 others file impeachment vs Marcos Jr. over ‘abuse’ of budget powers
With the plenary voting 284–8, with four abstentions, the arguments of the majority for the approval of the dismissal were that the complaints provided no evidence, failed to establish facts, and were generalized accusations and malice.
The Makabayan bloc said that these arguments are “baseless, dishonest, and designed to protect the president rather than uphold their constitutional mandate.” They called the no-evidence claim a “blatant lie.”
Maza et al.’s complaint includes betrayal of trust over the high-level budget allocation formula, otherwise known as Baselined, Balanced, and Managed (BBM) Parametric Formula for infrastructure spending. This was linked to the anomalous flood control projects and the irregularities involving budget allocation and PhilHealth funds.
The complaint stated that “priorities of the leaders of the national government and the legislature will also be considered in this matter.” Makabayan said that this formula institutionalized a system where the priorities of leaders would guide budget allocations, proof that corruption was built into the system from the start.
They said that Marcos Jr. authorized Special Allotment Release Orders, allocating almost P214 billion (USD 3.7 million) in unprogrammed appropriations for projects tainted by kickbacks.
The testimony of former undersecretary and whistleblower Roberto Bernardo was also included, revealing that of the P100 billion ($1.7 billion) in insertions allegedly ordered by Marcos Jr., he directly handled P52 billion ($900 million) and received P8 billion ($140 million) in commitments.
Under the Marcos Jr. administration, unprogrammed appropriations increased by 221 percent from P251.64 billion in 2022 ($ 4.9 billion) to P807.2 billion ($ 14.8 billion) in 2023.
Read the TIMELINE: 2025 Flood Control Projects Corruption Scandal
Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago said that while the Filipinos are drowning in an economic crisis, the corrupt big fish can swim freely in the public funds.
While former senator Ramon Revilla Jr., contractor Sarah Discaya, and Ma. Roma Angeline Romando have been imprisoned following the scandal, almost 100 protesters face sedition cases for their participation in the Sept. 21 rally demanding accountability for the graft and corruption.
Even with the dismissal of impeachment complaints, the Makabayan bloc said that the fight for justice will continue in the streets, courts, court of public opinion, and every forum where the voices of the people can be heard.
For Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, it’s clear that the recent development “reflects the persistence of corruption impunity under a bankrupt political system.”
“Marcos and his corrupt allies may have succeeded in junking the impeachment but the fight for truth, accountability, and justice will continue,” Bayan said.
The group announced that they will be leading the February 25 protest commemorating the People Power 1 uprising. The Edsa protest, Bayan said, will call for accountability not only of Marcos but also of Sara Duterte. (DAA, RVO)
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