House ready to receive VP impeach raps on Feb. 6

The House of Representatives is ready to receive and act on any impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte starting Feb. 6, public accounts committee chair Terry Ridon said yesterday.

- By JOSE RODEL CLAPAΝΟ

The Bicol Saro party-list representative said the chamber is prepared to proceed under the Constitution and House rules while complying with the Supreme Court (SC)’s clarified notice requirements on the so-called express route of impeachment filing.

“We respect the decision of the Supreme Court in this matter. But, we want to make it clear that on Feb. 6, Congress is ready to accept and hear all new complaints against VP Sara Duterte,” Ridon said during the Saturday forum.

The SC’s one-year bar rule against filing any impeachment complaint against Duterte lapses on Feb. 6.

In resolving the House’s motion for reconsideration, Ridon said the SC effectively removed the restrictive due process requirements imposed in its earlier decision, particularly those requiring advance notice and copies of evidence to be furnished to impeachable officers at the filing stage.