Young Guns slam admin critics’ ‘panakip-butas’ strategy on VP Sara impeachment

House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook, PPAB)

Administration critics shouldn’t use House Speaker Martin Romualdez as a cover up for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Thus, said House “Young Guns” bloc members La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V and Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun on Sunday, Feb. 9 amid the planned filing of charges against Speaker Martin Romualdez and other House leaders in connection with alleged controversies in the 2025 national budget.

The threat to file charges falsification of public documents over the alleged insertion of billions worth of funds into the 2025 budget against Romualdez, Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe, and ex-Appropriations Committee chairman panel Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co was floated by Duterte family allies just days after the House of Representatives impeached the Vice President.

“Walang basehan ang mga ito, another fantasy at fiction. Obvious na layunin nitong ilihis ang atensyon ng publiko mula sa tunay na isyu – ang impeachment trial ni VP Duterte,” Ortega, a deputy majority leader, said.

(These are baseless, another case of fantasy and fiction. This is obviously intended to divert the public’s attention from the real issue–VP Duterte’s impeachment trial.)

“Huwag nilang gawing panakip-butas si Speaker Romualdez para takasan ang pananagutan,” Ortega said.

(They shouldn’t use Speaker Romualdez as a cover up toward escaping accountability.)

Khonghun echoed this sentiment, and said that the allegations against the Speaker were merely an attempt to discredit the House’s overwhelming support for Duterte’s impeachment.

“This is nothing more than a desperate move to discredit the impeachment process,” said Khonghun, and assistant majority leader.

“Speaker Romualdez has been instrumental in ensuring that the rule of law is followed, and now he is being targeted to weaken the case against VP Duterte,” Khonghun said.

“Napaka-timing naman ng mga issue na ito. Nang maipadala na sa Senado ang impeachment complaint, biglang may ganitong aksyon laban kay Speaker Romualdez. Malinaw na diversionary tactic ito,” he pointed.

(The timing of this issue is suspect. This action against Speaker Romualdez was raised right after the impeachment complaint was transmitted to the Senate. This is clearly a diversionary tactic.

A total of 215 out of the 306 sitting House members signed the impeachment rap against Vice President Duterte-. This is 113 more than the required signatories.

Another 25 solons have forwarded their signatures post-referral to the Senate, which would have to convene as Senate impeachment court.

The Citizens Crime Watch, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial aspirant Jimmy Bondoc and Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez bared their plans of filing charges against Romualdez and the other on Saturday, Feb. 8.