HINDI SUSULONG

MALINAW si Kin. Jinky Luistro, hepe ng Committee on Justice ng Camara de Representante. Kung walang endorser ang isang impeachment complaint, hindi ito susulong. Hindi ito nalalayo sa baseball, kung walang endorser, hindi makakatuntong kahit sa first base ang reklamo.

Kailangan may endorser na kasapi ng Camara ang kahit anong impeachment complaint ng kahit sinong pribadong mamamayan na isusumite sa Camara, ani Luistro. Kung wala, hindi ito gagalaw. Isa itong requirement sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas.

“Just like any other bill, it must be sponsored by at least a member of the House. In other words, if this is filed by a private individual at walang mag-sponsor ng one, two or more (House member), it will not be transmitted to the Office of the Speaker,” ani Luistro na kumakatawan sa ikalawang distrito ng Batangas.

Nilinaw ni Luistro dahil may grupo na nagtangkang isumite ang isang impeachment complaint kahit walang endorser. Hindi ito tinanggap ng opisina ng secretary-general ng Camara dahil hindi maayos ang isunimiteng impeachment complaint.

“It is not my intention really to preempt the discussion of the sufficiency in form … First and foremost, wala pa po tayong official copy of any of those impeachment complaints. But I can speak on the rules that by form, dapat supported ‘yan by a House member, dapat signed ng private individual at dapat verified by an authorized officer,” ani Luistro.

Nilinaw ni Luistro na kahit kakaiba ang impeachment, mayroon itong malinaw na proseso sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas. Marapat na maunawaan ito ng madla, aniya.

“Siguro let’s start with the process. I want to walk-through everyone about the process para maintindihan ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino ang proseso ng impeachment because this is one of the extraordinary powers given to the sovereign people. Let me begin with, there are two modes in filing an impeachment complaint. The first mode is by a private individual sponsored by a House member or by the House member himself,” ani Luistro.

“This is the type or mode of filing that was used in as far as the first impeachment complaint against the President is concerned. With regards to the second mode of filing an impeachment complaint, ito po ‘yung by signature and verification of at least one-third of all the members of the House. You will remember the first impeachment complaint against the Vice President. Ito pong second mode ang ginamit dun sa first impeachment complaint against the Vice President,” aniya.

May itinakdang dalawang paraan sa proseso ng impeachment. Ang una’y ang mandatory referral sa Committee on Justice. Ang ikalawa’y ang direktang ruta na hindi na dadaan sa komite.

“If the impeachment complaint will be filed under the first mode, ito po mandatory ang referral sa Committee on Justice. But if we will be asking how about the second mode, ito pong second mode, the one supported by at least one-third for the understanding of our fellow countrymen. In layman’s term, para po itong express lane. Hindi requirement ang referral to the Justice Committee,” ani Luistro.

Ang unang hinihintuan ng kahit anong impeachment complaint ay ang Office of the House Secretary General. Ito ang tumatanggap ng kahit anong reklamo at isinasalin sa Ispiker, aniya.

“Umpisahan po natin sa office ni Sec. Gen. Ang office po ng Secretary General ang tumatanggap ng impeachment complaint. From there, she has to transmit the same immediately to the Office of the Speaker. As to the meaning of immediately, I would say it depends on how the office of the Sec. Gen. would appreciate and discharge her function as such,” ani Luistro.

“After the same is transmitted to the office of the Speaker, the Speaker has a period of 10 session days to include the impeachment complaint in the order of business of the plenary,” aniya.

“From the plenary naman, they have a period of three session days to transmit the same or refer to the Justice Committee. As to how they are going to exercise the same, it is the judgment of the plenary which is represented by all the members of the House of Representatives, no?” she said.

“So, duon naman po pagdating sa Justice Committee, the committee that we are chairing. I summarize the process into five steps. First step, determination of sufficiency in form. Second step, determination of sufficiency in substance. Third step, if the impeachment complaint is sufficient both in form and substance, we need to determine if there is sufficient basis of impeachment complaint,” ani Luistro.

“Now, moving forward, pagdating po ng fourth step, we will be holding the hearing proper. Dito po sa hearing proper, we will begin to invite the complainant, the witnesses, and even the respondent,” aniya.

“For the last step, that is the fifth step, the Justice Committee has to determine whether or not there is probable cause that supports the impeachment complaint. So that completes the process in the Justice Committee,” aniya.

“Whatever is the decision of the Justice Committee, we need to submit a committee report to the plenary which will decide by one third vote whether or not they will approve the committee report. That explains the entire process of impeachment in as far as the House of Representatives is concerned,” ani Luistro.

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