00:00Today, March 3, we reconvene the Committee on Justice to undertake the next crucial step in our constitutional responsibility.
00:16This is to examine the sufficiency in substance of the third and fourth impeachment complaints against the Vice President.
00:30But before we proceed with today's hearing, allow me to briefly summarize what transpired during yesterday's session.
00:42As the members of the Committee will recall, yesterday, we officially began deliberations on the impeachment complaints against the Vice
00:54President.
00:55In total, there were four impeachment complaints, and yesterday, we took several significant procedural steps,
01:07each made deliberately, carefully, and in full adherence to the Constitution and our rules.
01:17First, we approved the withdrawal of the second impeachment complaint after the complainants expressed their decision
01:28to instead support the third impeachment complaint.
01:33This was further supported by the withdrawal of the endorsements from Representative Percy Sendanya and Representative Laila Dilema.
01:47Representative Sendanya noted that by reducing the number of complaints,
01:54the Committee would effectively expedite the long-delayed impeachment process.
02:02Representative Dilema also added that this move would yield strategic gains in the future,
02:11quoting a song in the process.
02:13It does not matter how we get there, as long as we get there.
02:20Second, we set aside the first impeachment complaint on the ground of violation of the one-year bar rule.
02:29This is by a vote of 22 in favor, 10 against, with zero abstention.
02:38That vote clearly demonstrated that despite persuasive arguments from Representatives Antonio Tino,
02:49Rene Coe, Sara Ilago, and even Representative Dilema,
02:54the Committee remains committed to a prudent interpretation of the Constitution.
03:02As Representative Joel Chu has said,
03:06the members are exercising caution in interpreting this constitutional limitation.
03:14Third, following the sponsorship speech delivered by Representative Dilema,
03:21we found the third impeachment complaint sufficient in form.
03:27It was timely filed, and all necessary formal requisites were duly met.
03:35The motion to find it sufficient in form was seconded and approved without objection.
03:44Fourth, after the sponsorship speeches of Representatives Paulo Ortega
03:50and Benny Abante, we likewise found the fourth impeachment complaint sufficient in form.
03:59In his sponsorship, Representative Abante invoked the values of duty, honor, and principle
04:08in stating that he could no longer remain silent,
04:13which compelled his endorsement of the fourth impeachment complaint.
04:18Like the third complaint, the fourth met all the necessary formal requisites
04:25and was approved by the committee without objection.
04:30Yesterday, therefore, we addressed form.
04:35Today, we move to substance, the heart of impeachment.
04:41And right now, we focus on only two complaints, the third and fourth impeachment complaints.
04:51Kung kahapon ay naging teknikal ang ating usapan,
04:56ngayon naman ay hihimayin at susuriin natin ang mismong laman ng bawat reklamo.
05:05Dito natin titignan kung ang mga paratang ay umaabot sa pamantayan para sa impeachment.
05:14This is the stage where we ask,
05:17Do the allegations rise to the level of impeachable offenses?
05:23Do these complaints meet the constitutional threshold to move forward?
05:29And importantly, are the allegations credible enough to justify moving forward with the process?
05:39To answer these questions, we must read the third and fourth complaints thoroughly.
05:49Parehas pong makapal ang mga ito.
05:52Ninety-eight pages ang third complaint.
05:56Seventy-two pages ang fourth complaint.
05:59At pareho po itong may kalakip na napakaraming dokumento.
06:05Kung susumahin natin lahat at kasama ang mga kalakip na dokumento,
06:11lampas nine-hundred pages ang third impeachment complaint.
06:17At halos eight-hundred pages ang fourth impeachment complaint.
06:24Hindi ito biro.
06:27Ito ay seryosong mga paratang na nangangailangan ng seryosong pagsusuri.
06:34Ang bawat pahina ay may katanungan.
06:38At ang bawat katanungan ay nangangailangan ng sapat na kasagutan.
06:44This is meticulous, detailed work that demands careful review and our full attention.
06:54Once again, let me reiterate, at this stage, we are not determining the guilt.
07:03We are not weighing the evidence.
07:06The only question before us is, is there enough in these complaints to justify moving forward with the impeachment process?
07:18Ito bang nakasaad dito?
07:21Sapat ba itong dahilan para sa impeachment?
07:24Now, I must acknowledge that yesterday was an interesting day.
07:31We witnessed a fascinating display of foresight.
07:35A moment when a colleague sought to act on a premonition to address some matter before it even happened.
07:44But today, we leave the world of premonitions behind.
07:49We are not fortune tellers.
07:53Our duty is to scrutinize the documents now before us.
07:59Our focus is to determine whether the third and fourth impeachment complaints are sufficient in substance.
08:08Now more than ever, we must recognize the gravity of our duty.
08:14We are tasked not just with reviewing paperwork, but with making sure that the Constitution is duly followed.
08:25If the allegations are worthy of consideration, it is our responsibility to proceed to the next step in holding the
08:37highest officials of the land accountable for their actions.
08:41Kaya't magpatuloy tayo ng maingat at may integridad.
08:47Let us proceed constitutionally, upholding the process set forth by our fundamental law.
08:55Let us act with the integrity demanded by our oath of office and with the transparency expected by the Filipino
09:05people.
09:05Muli, itutuloy na natin ang pagdinig para sa prosesong ito, ang saligang batas, ang ating kumpas, ang katotohanan, ang ating
09:17landas.
09:18Maraming salamat po.
09:20Now we proceed to the determination of sufficiency in substance of the two remaining complaints, the third and the fourth.
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