Among 7 CAR representatives, only Yap did not back impeachment against VP Duterte

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Among the seven representatives in the Cordillera region, only one did not sign the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

On February 5, legislators at the lower house officially endorsed an impeachment case against the second highest position in the country after 240 out of the 306 lawmakers supported the resolution to forward the articles of impeachment of Duterte to the Senate. The number of signatures comprised over two-thirds of the House.

Duterte was impeached on a range of accusations which include violation of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.

Of those who backed the impeachment of the vice president, six of them are the representatives in the Cordillera region. They are Congressman Mark Go of Baguio City, Congresswoman Eleanor Bulut-Begtang of Apayao, Congresswoman Ching Bernos of Abra, Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang of Kalinga, Congressman Solomon Chungalao of Ifugao, and Congressman Maxi Dalog of Mountain Province.

Only Congressman Eric Go Yap of Benguet did not affix his signature for the impeachment.

While there are two-thirds of votes from the House of Representatives, the Senate which will serve as the impeachment court is currently on session break and will convene after the midterm elections in May. Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero said on February 6 that ‘legally, an impeachment trial cannot be done’ during the break, saying that the earliest Senate action will be on June 2 this year.

For Duterte, who spoke before the media in a press conference this Friday, February 7, she joked that heartbreak is more painful than getting impeached by the House of Representatives.

“Alam ‘nyo, mas masakit pa ang maiwan ng boyfriend o girlfriend kaysa ma-impeach ka sa House of Representatives,” she said which left some of the House members “appalled” over her “cavalier attitude towards her historic impeachment.”