Pro-impeachment groups protest Senate move to return raps to House
Despite the rainy weather, thousands of protesters from various groups marched to the Senate in Pasay City on Wednesday to condemn the return of the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives.
In JP Soriano's '24 Oras' report, members of Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, and some students and religious groups claimed the move of the senator judges who voted in favor of the decision to return the impeachment case to the House was unconstitutional.
Messages on the placards and tarpaulins expressed the displeasure of the protesters.
'Yung iba nga lang wala nga rito sa Manila mag conduct na lang ng kani kanilang activities nila sa buong probinsya kaya talagang nakikita natin yung kagustuhan ng mga Pilipino na ituloy itong impeachment trial,' said Rafaela David, Akbayan party-list president and Atin Ito convenor.
(Some were unable to come to Manila, so they conducted some activities in their respective provinces, so we can really see that Filipinos want to continue the impeachment trial.)
Before reaching the Senate building, Tindig Pilipinas held a program that included Kiko Aquino Dee, a grandson of former president Cory Aquino.
Speaking before the crowd, Dee warned the senators not to belittle the power of the youth who will be voting in the next election.
'At sa 2028 gagantihan natin ang lahat ng mga pulitikong taksil sa taong bayan. Ipanalo natin ang Konstitusyon. Ipanalo natin ang taumbayan. Ipanalo natin ito,' he said.
(And in 2028, we will take get back at all the politicians who betrayed the people. Let's fight for the Constitution. Let's win for the people. Let's win this.)
The protesters believed that the senate impeachment court's move to return the article of impeachment is unconstitutional.
'Ang nangyari po kahapon ay isang pag aabandona sa ating saligang batas. Yung ginagawa nilang pag remand, pag dismiss wala po sa Konstitusyon yun at wala rin po yun sa rules na inaprubahan ng senate sa impeachment kahapon,' incoming Akbayan Partylist Representative Chel Diokno said.
(What happened yesterday is the abandonment of the Constitution. The move to remand is not in the Constitution and in the approved rules of the Senate.)
'Dahil sa ginawa nila meron tayong pwedeng itawag sa kanila..mga sobrang kapal ng mukha,' incoming ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima said.
(For their actions, we can call them extremely thick- faced.)
A number of protesters proceeded to front of the Senate building. The program ended at around 6 p.m.
According to the Pasay police, around 3,000 people participated in today's protest.
The groups said they will continue their program at a portion of EDSA at 2 p.m. on Thursday. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
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