Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Thursday rejected claims that impeachment efforts against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. were being deliberately stalled, saying the overseas travel of House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil had been scheduled in advance.
Adiong said Garafil’s temporary absence did not disrupt the constitutional process, stressing that the handling of impeachment complaints remains governed by existing House procedures.
Garafil is currently in Taipei on official business, where she is set to receive the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon from Taiwan’s foreign ministry, according to House officials.
Her trip coincided with the filing of two impeachment complaints on Thursday that were not formally received, after staff of the Office of the Secretary General said they were not authorized to accept the documents in her absence.
Earlier in the week, lawyer Andre de Jesus filed what was described as the first impeachment complaint against Marcos, endorsed by Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep. Jernie Jett Nisay. Garafil personally received the complaint while she was still in Manila, and it has since been transmitted to the office of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.
Some lawmakers have questioned the strength of the initial complaint, with Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice saying it could be dismissed for lack of form and substance, except for one allegation involving unprogrammed appropriations. These concerns prompted other groups, including the Makabayan Coalition and a Duterte-aligned group, to attempt filing separate complaints, which were not accepted.
Adiong said the House would strictly follow the 1987 Constitution and the House Rules, explaining that impeachment complaints must first be filed with the Secretary General and referred to the Speaker before being acted upon by committees—a process that formally initiates proceedings but does not prejudge the outcome.
