Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon – Photo courtesy of Terry Ridon/Facebook
The outcome of the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ultimately lies in the evidence presented and the conscience of House members, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said Sunday as the lower chamber prepared to begin formal proceedings.
Ridon made the statement ahead of the House Committee on Justice’s opening on Monday of its determination of whether the complaints meet the requirements of sufficiency in form and substance.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House committee on public accounts, said views expressed outside the legislature have no bearing on how representatives decide, stressing that impeachment is a constitutional prerogative of Congress.
“Impeachment proceedings will always be based on facts, it will be based on evidence, and decisions relating to the impeachment will be based on the conscience of every House Member,” Ridon said.
He added that the central questions in any impeachment process are whether the allegations amount to a culpable violation of the Constitution or a betrayal of public trust.
On his personal assessment of the complaints, Ridon said some of the issues raised fall short of the constitutional grounds required for impeachment, citing, among others, the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte in connection with international cooperation.
He also said allegations involving unprogrammed appropriations are weak, noting that such items have been part of the national budget for decades and have not been ruled unconstitutional, as the House earlier referred the two verified complaints to the Committee on Justice for evaluation.