VICE President Sara Duterte has recently criticized the Marcos administration for neglecting several pressing issues facing the country.
Among these issues is the inadequate response to flooding problems, with the DPWH admitting that the Marcos Jr. government does not have a flood-control master plan.
She also pointed out the administration’s subservience to foreign interests, especially regarding the international criminal court, and the insufficient police-to-population ratio following the withdrawal of her police security details.
Her criticism sparked strong reactions from several lawmakers, particularly on the issue of flood control projects. Manila rep. Joel chua has also called for a review of the budget allocated for the vice president’s security, following reports that 400 soldiers have been assigned to her.
Former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque noted that an impeachment complaint against VP Sara is not unlikely, and the house of representatives is not ruling out the possibility, even though no formal complaint has been filed yet.
However, Political Analyst Prof. Froilan Calilung believes that pushing for impeachment would be challenging, despite it being a numbers game.
“The way I see it, it will be difficult to push forward because there is no clear or direct violation by our vice president on the possible grounds for impeachment. So, it’s going to be a hard sell. I think the public recognizes that the vice president has a clear and legitimate mandate. It would be really difficult for the government to build a case for impeachment against her if they decide to proceed with it,” according to Prof. Froilan Calilung, Political Analyst.
Prof. Calilung also warns that pressuring VP Sara could further weaken the Marcos administration’s ability to recover from its current issues.
“If we look at the situation, our citizens are now more observant and discerning of what’s happening. With the presence of mainstream media and the power of social media, which is very potent in shaping public opinion, the government should tread carefully on this political line. They might find it difficult, especially if they push the vice president too hard,” Prof. Calilung added.
Calilung further suggests that the attacks on VP Sara could be due to fears that she might expose issues within the current administration, having been part of it.
His advice to the administration: focus on addressing the issues facing the Filipino people instead of targeting the vice president.
