By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday confirmed that he had a “private communication” with Congress not to waste time filing an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a media interview on the sidelines of an event in Lucena City in Quezon province, Marcos admitted that the leaked text message instructing lawmakers not to lodge an impeachment complaint against Duterte came from him.
“Well, it was actually a private communication, but na-leak na. Yes, because that’s really my opinion,” he said when asked to confirm if the text message circulating on social media was from him and if there are efforts to file an impeachment case against Duterte.
“This is not important. This does not make any difference to even one single Filipino life. So why waste time on it? What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House. It will tie down the Senate,” the President added.
Amid mounting calls to file an impeachment complaint against Duterte, Marcos’ text message circulated on social media, saying such a plan would only distract the government.
Based on the Chief Executive’s leaked private message, he said: “In the larger scheme of things, Sara is unimportant. So please do not file impeachment complaints. It will only distract us from the real work of governance which is to improve the [lives] of all Filipinos.”
Marcos said he gave the directive because the impeachment plan is “a storm in a teacup.”
“None of this will help improve a single Filipino life,” he said. “It will just take up all our time. And for naught, for what? For nothing. For nothing.”
Pressed further if he has reached the point of no return with Duterte, Marcos said, “Never say never.”
House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun said Tuesday that Duterte’s death threat against Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez could be considered ground for impeachment.