By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, Jan. 22 (PNA) — A Malacanang official on Wednesday dismissed impeachment threats against President Benigno S. Aquino III, saying they will wait for an official complaint to be filed before acting on the matter.
“Let’s wait for the complaint to be filed and we will leave it with the House (of Representatives) to decide on the matter as to the merits of an impeachment complaint,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a Palace media briefing.
Lacierda made the statement following reports that Cavite Rep. Lani Mercardo, wife of Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., is planning to initiate an impeachment complaint.
Revilla, in a recent privilege speech, implied that President Aquino allegedly tried to influence him into voting for the conviction in 2012 of then Chief Justice Renato Corona.
The President, meanwhile, has maintained that his meeting with Revilla at his official residence in Bahay Pangarap at Malacanang compound, was not intended to influence him to make a guilty vote against Corona but to ask him to vote based on conscience.
Whether the complaint will be filed or not, Lacierda said that a number of authorities, including himself, have mentioned that the President’s meeting with Revilla was not an impeachable offense.
Lacierda said that it would be up to Mercado to pursue the case and if the House of Representatives would agree with her discretion.
“Whether Congresswoman Lani Mercado would pursue that, it’s entirely up to her discretion, and whether the House as a body would agree…Let them decide on the impeachment complaint,” he said.
As for Sen. Miriam Santiago’s statement that President Aquino could be liable for impeachment if the use of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds was ruled as unconstitutional, Lacierda’s answer was the same.
“I think the operative word there is ‘if’,” he said. “Not all acts that are deemed unconstitutional is synonymous with impeachable.”
He explained that although a number of Republic Acts have been declared unconstitutional, it does not equate to impeachability.
“The Supreme Court has not made a decision yet, so it’s hypothetical,” Lacierda said. (PNA)