Duterte Youth party-list chairperson Ronald Cardema attempted but failed to file an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, May 8. The complaint was anchored on the Marcos administration’s alleged role in allowing former President Rodrigo Duterte to be transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
According to Cardema, the Office of the House Secretary General refused to receive the complaint due to the absence of Secretary General Reginald Velasco. “The Office of the SecGen is not accepting it because the SecGen is not around today,” Cardema said in a social media post. “They claim that only the SecGen can receive such a document.”
Cardema was accompanied by his wife, Drixie Mae Cardema, a Duterte Youth party-list representative, who endorsed the complaint. The couple vowed to return to the House of Representatives on Tuesday to officially lodge the impeachment complaint.
Cardema accuses President Marcos of committing a “culpable violation of the Constitution” and “betrayal of public trust” by allowing a Filipino citizen—Duterte—to be transferred to a foreign entity. He claimed the move constituted a surrender of Philippine sovereignty.
“When you surrendered a Filipino to foreigners on March 11, you surrendered the sovereignty of the country,” Cardema declared. “Many Filipinos are asking why a fellow citizen was handed over to foreign powers.”
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11 upon arriving from Hong Kong, following an ICC warrant of arrest. The international court is investigating Duterte’s bloody “war on drugs,” which allegedly led to thousands of extrajudicial killings.
The ICC alleges that Duterte, as president, established and supported death squads responsible for the murders of suspected drug offenders. Following his arrest, Duterte was flown to The Hague and appeared via video before ICC judges on March 14. He is scheduled to attend a confirmation of charges hearing on September 23.
Despite Thursday’s setback, Cardema remains determined to pursue the impeachment complaint. He emphasized the symbolic and political significance of challenging the President’s decision, vowing to bring the matter back to public attention.
Will this rare attempt to impeach a sitting president over a former leader’s international prosecution gain traction in Congress? That remains to be seen.
crazy and insane move by the duterte dogs.. desperate act to divert attention from the cases of sara duterte. what a nuisance! cardenas who???? a dutertes dog!