Second impeach complaint vs Marcos refiled

Militant and progressive groups, led by the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, successfully refiled their impeachment complaint against President Marcos yesterday, received by House secretary-general Cheloy Garafil.

- By DELON PORCALLA

The Makabayan bloc arrives at the House of Representatives yesterday to file the second impeachment complaint against President Marcos; House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil accepted the complaint after returning to the country.

(MICHAEL VARGAS)

Makabayan lawmakers Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Renee Louise Co (Kabataan) and Sarah Elago (Gabriela) were accompanied by former Bayan Muna congressmen Teddy Casiño and Neri Colmenares, former congresswomen Liza Maza (Gabriela) and France Castro (ACT Teachers) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes, among others.

“This impeachment complaint is not limited to President Marcos’ betrayal of public trust - this is also about the government's systemic corruption that goes all the way to the highest echelons of the administration,” Reyes said.

The Makabayan-led complaint centers on three Articles of Impeachment: institutionalizing systemic corruption and patronage; abuse of discretionary power over unpro-grammed appropriations and direct personal involvement in kickback schemes.

The group failed to file the complaint last week as Garafil was in Taipei to receive a commendation from the Taiwanese government.

The suit is the second filed against Marcos after private lawyer Andre de Jesus’ complaint.

Last night, the two impeachment complaints were referred to the House committee on justice, headed by Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro.