Wikipedia describes impeachment in the Philippines as an expressed power of the Congress of the Philippines to formally charge a serving government official with an impeachable offense.
After being impeached by the House of Representatives, the official is tried in the Senate. If convicted, the official is either removed from office or is censured. Impeachment followed by conviction is often the only way to forcibly remove a sitting official.
While “impeachment” is often used to refer to the entire process of removing an official from office, it only formally refers to the indictment stage in the House of Representatives, not the trial stage in the Senate.
Under the current Constitution, an official can be impeached if one-third of the House of Representatives votes in favor. Since it takes only a simple majority to set the agenda or to adjourn the House, it can be difficult for a minority of one-third to bring a vote and impeach an official.
In the case of VP Sara Zimmerman Duterte, I think she’s weighing her options carefully whether to step down as VP or wait for the outcome of the winners and losers from the lot of Senate bets.
If Sara resigns her post, the impeachment proceedings stop on its tracks and she will be able to run for the presidency for which she obviously salivates for. But if she is impeached, then a perpetual disqualification to run for any public office will be her punishment, among others. Hence, she is waiting and is impatient which explains all her attention-gathering antics.
Agent provocateur
In quoting the great Russian Novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky (wish he was Ukrainian instead), he said “When reason fails, the devil helps” is actually so true to this very day especially among those who see absolutely nothing good in the effort of those who run the country’s affairs hoping just to make it even just a bit better for tomorrow.
Looking for more tunnel each time one sees the light has become too common that nothing now is even good enough for a little praise.
Positive opinions have become the target of the instigator or the agent provocateur peddling fakery in social media uploads. It has simply become a cesspool of pure and corrupted entertainment by clowns in the guise of lawyers, spokespersons, journalists, editors, and medical practitioners.
While these are all fun and games to many, the bigger picture always boils down to this question: What will you be doing when the mainland Chinese finally reach our shores via boats with mahjong-like characters painted on the bow.
Rogue Roque
Former Duterte Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque goes way too low to the gutter a la Claire Contreras aka ‘Maharlika’ with the words “Jutang Jinamis.” When my late first cousin Gary B. Olivar was a mouthpiece for FPGMA, he was extra careful with his choice of words whether in the Palace or on the other side of the Pasig.
And even after Arroyo’s presidency, Olivar maintained a sense of decency and dignity with his words, never forgetting that long after his stint as spokesperson, he still would carry with him the memory of the honor he once took care of inside the complexities of a presidency.
This is what truly separates the boys from the disgusting rogue boys of communications.
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It is seldom that I put forward in this column a choice candidate for a local position, but I want to do so because I believe this individual is worthy of the post he seeks.
I speak of none other than Rey Flores Santos who was born and raised in Bgy. Sta. Monica, San Luis, Pampanga. His parents, Saturnino Roxas Santos and Maria Bautista Flores-Santos (both deceased) were hardworking farmers who instilled in their children the value of education.
He is married to Dulce Amor Rodriguez-Santos from Manila, and has two children, Djenica Raye and Djon Raye.
Growing up, Rey’s family relied on farming a two-hectare lot to sustain their daily needs, including food, clothing, and school expenses for six siblings. Despite these challenges, Rey’s parents remained steadfast in their commitment that education was the key to a better future. And through their perseverance, four of their kids were able to complete their studies and earn their respective degrees.
Rey has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is a CPA. He is currently COO of an insurance company and eventually has upped the ladder when he ventured into entrepreneurship establishing an international reinsurance brokerage and a real-estate business where he continues to succeed.
His deep love for Bgy. San Luis and its folks – his kabalens, have motivated him to give back to the community. He ran for mayor twice but was not fortunate to make it. Undeterred, he remains committed to public service, hence is now gunning for Municipal Councilor of San Luis for the May 2025 local elections.
I personally vouch for kabalen Rey’s dedication and commitment to public service and honor as a public servant.
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Random Memorandum: The former Congolese General Bosco Ntaganda served the longest sentence handed down by the ICC, being sentenced to thirty years imprisonment with time served in ICC detention deducted from the sentence.
He was found guilty of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Factoid: The ICC has publicly indicted sixty-nine individuals. Proceedings against thirty-five are ongoing: thirty are at large as fugitives, one person’s case is in the pre-trial stage, and four are on trial. Proceedings against thirty-four have been completed.
Three are serving sentences, seven have finished sentences, four have been acquitted, seven have had the charges against them withdrawn, and nine have died before the conclusion of the proceedings against them.
(Leslie Bocobo is a former Special Assistant to the Secretary at the Office of the Press Secretary, Malacañang, and a former Public Affairs Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Email: sleeplessinmyshuttle@yahoo.com
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