Erap impeach 2.0

If the script goes well, embattled former Davao City mayor Sara Duterte will become the country's first Vice President to be impeached.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

The combined yellow and red groups initiated the impeachment moves at the 19th Congress.

The "yellow" groups and the left-leaning members of the House of Representatives have joined forces to bring VP Sara down from her high tower.

Supposedly, they are confident of collecting and mustering the required number of signatures to short-cut the impeachment process.

The first step of the impeachment procedure was done with the filing of the two complaints against VP Sara already received by the House.

Then, they will be referred by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to the House committee on justice within 10 days from the filing.

The impeachment complaint needs the signature of one-third, or more than 106 of the total 312 lawmakers for it to get past the House committee on justice and go directly to the plenary.

However, if the threshold is not reached, then this will be forwarded to the House justice committee where its chairman, Rep. Juliet Ferrer, and panel members will decide whether the suit is sufficient in form and substance before its merits are taken up in deliberations.

Once the House panel endorses this to plenary, congressmen will cast their votes on whether they will elevate the impeach complaint to the Senate.

The rules and requirements on how an impeachable official can be removed from office requires two-thirds vote of the 24-man Senate.

In an attempt to fast-track the impeachment case, the Makabayan bloc opts for the method that allows an impeachment complaint—if filed by one-third of House members—to not go through proceedings at the committee on justice.

They believe they can gather this many congressmen required to co-sign the impeachment complaint.