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Former Sen. Leila De Lima speaks at the Kapihan sa QC forum on Nov.24, 2024. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News

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Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173243888008220241022-de-lima-leila-quadcomm-MT-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former Senator Leila de Lima speaks at the House of Representatives on October 22, 2024, during the Quad-Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings tied to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Senator Leila de Lima speaks at the House of Representatives on October 22, 2024, during the Quad-Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings tied to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span>MANLA — Former Sen. Leila De Lima, a lawyer and former justice secretary, said the recent actions and tirades of Vice President Sara Duterte could be included as basis for an impeachment complaint and disbarment case against her.</div><p>Duterte has been hinting at efforts to impeach her or <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/23/vp-duterte-speaker-s-interest-in-presidency-behind-house-probe-into-confidential-funds-1003">otherwise discredit her</a> ahead of the 2028 elections where she is projected to run for president.</p><p>&quot;Sa tingin ko yung grave misconduct niya — na hindi dapat kasi second highest official of the land siya — that is a clear case of betrayal of public trust,&quot; she said at the Kapihan sa Quezon City on Sunday. </p><p>Citing the Constitution, De Lima said that public officers and employees are supposed to “at all times act with integrity.”</p><p>She called Duterte&#x27;s recent actions &quot;gross misconduct&quot;, which she said is a betrayal of public trust. </p><p>De Lima said someone who would file an impeachment complaint against the Vice President &quot;could craft the articles of impeachment that way.&quot;</p><p>De Lima said the grave misconduct can be among grounds of impeachment, including betrayal of public trust on the alleged misuse of confidential funds.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/24/vp-duterte-s-alleged-plot-against-marcos-a-serious-crime-house-leaders-1606">READ: VP Duterte&#x27;s alleged plot against Marcos a &#x27;serious crime&#x27; — House leaders</a></div><div><strong>BAYAN LOOKING INTO DUTERTE&#x27;S REMARKS</strong></div><p>ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said the Makabayan bloc and activist coalition Bayan are looking into the remarks of the Vice President in connection to <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/23/activists-call-for-impeachment-of-vp-sara-duterte-1929">a planned impeachment complaint</a>.</p><p>&quot;Kahapon kasi tinitingnan namin na pwedeng maisama doon sa impeachment complaint na pineprepare ng Bayan ng people&#x27;s organization… Pinag-aaralan nila kung pwede maisama yung incident na ito,&quot; she said in the same media forum. </p><p>(Yesterdat, we were looking at this incident to see if it can be included in an impeachment complaint Bayan and other people&#x27;s organizations are preparing... studying if this incident can be included in that)</p><p>She said a potential impeachment complaint might be anchored on betrayal of public trust because of alleged irregularities in the use of confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, an issue that a House panel is already investigating. </p><p>&quot;Another factor din ng betrayal of public trust itong nangyari kahapon,&quot; Castro added. </p><p>(What happened yesterday is another betrayal of public trust)</p><p>The ACT Teachers Party-List rep said that the way things stand, the House might be more inclined to act on an impeachment complaint if one is filed.</p><p>&quot;Hinog na hinog na yung impeachment complaint. Titingnan natin sa mga sunod na araw ano yung magiging decision ng people&#x27;s organizations. Within this year dapat,&quot; Castro said. </p><p>(The impeachment complaint is very ripe. We will see in the next few days how the people&#x27;s organizations will decide. It should be within the year)</p><div><strong>CRIMINAL CHARGES ALSO POSSIBLE</strong></div><p>De Lima said Duterte&#x27;s remarks and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez could also lead to criminal charges.</p><p>&quot;[T]hreatening a sitting President is a serious matter. Hindi lang yan grave threat, pero kung may halimbawang design, kung may criminal design to incite ng sedition, pwede ring inciting to sedition. Puwede ring illegal utterances. May provision on utterances illegally made kahit hindi sa Pangulo,&quot; she said. </p><p>(That is not just a grave threat but if there is a criminal design to incite sedition, it could be Inciting to Sedition. It could also be Illegal Utterances. There is a provision on utterances illegally made even if not against the President)</p><p>She said that any matter that concerns the safety and security of a President is &quot;a subject of serious concern&quot; and has national security implications.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/24/supposed-vp-duterte-threat-just-hyperbolic-statement-former-marcos-jr-official-1024">READ: Supposed VP Duterte threat just ‘hyperbolic’ statement — former Marcos Jr. official</a></div><div><strong>DUTERTE &#x27;CROSSED THE LINE&#x27;</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173243898255920241113-duterte-quadcomm-hearing-MT-7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Vice President Sara Duterte attends the attends the House quad committee hearing on the extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from her father former president Rodrigo Duterte administration’s war on drugs on November 13, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte attends the attends the House quad committee hearing on the extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from her father former president Rodrigo Duterte administration’s war on drugs on November 13, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></strong>The Vice President in an online press briefing early Saturday morning said she contracted someone to assassinate the President, First Lady and House Speaker should a plot against her succeed.</div><p>De Lima believes Duterte may be airing her own opinion and sentiments on the current administration. However, she said the Vice President crossed the line when she made threats.</p><p>&quot;I find it disturbing and concerning kasi I don&#x27;t think it ever happened before that a very high public official, the second highest official of the country, of our land, would verbally attack the President, the First Lady and then the Speaker,&quot; she said.     </p><p>The lawyer said the Vice President&#x27;s actions could also lead to a disbarment case.</p><p>&quot;An case of disbarment can be. Misconduct din yun, that&#x27;s not expected of a member of the bar… Grave misconduct po yun. It&#x27;s not part of a lawyer&#x27;s oath to be behaving of that matter,&quot; De Lima said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/24/sara-duterte-violated-lawyers-code-miscalculated-political-moves-experts-1537">READ: Duterte violated lawyers&#x27; code, miscalculated political moves — experts</a></div><p>The former senator urged Duterte to face the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability instead of just speaking at online press conferences or interviews.</p><p>The House panel is looking into the alleged misuse of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education. Duterte only attended the first hearing and skipped the next ones.</p><p>&quot;She&#x27;s undermining the [House] committee, kung ano-ano pa sinasabi niya tungkol sa committee, and ayaw pa niya mag take ng oath, then I think that&#x27;s disobedience to summons. It&#x27;s only a minor offense. But just so, para maipakita sa kanya na you are not above the law,&quot; De Lima, who faced a similar case, added.</p><p>During the last hearing, Duterte sent a letter to the House panel on her absence. She said that she attended the September 17 hearing and was not asked any questions.</p><p>The Vice President refused to take her oath then, citing that she was not a witness but a resource speaker.</p><p>Castro said lawmakers are still hopeful Duterte and other key OVP officials being invited would appear at the House hearing on Monday.</p><p>&quot;Nagsabi naman si Chairman [Joel] Chua na tuloy bukas. Merong mga ipepresentang witness. So sana dumating yung apat na pinapatawag na empleyado ng OVP kasi ito yung mahahalaga eh,&quot; she said.       </p><p>(Chairman Chua has said the hearing tomorrow will push through. There will be witnesses presented. So I hope the four that the are being invited will come because this is important.)</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLcjP5LBRcw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Citing the Constitution, De Lima said that public officers and employees are supposed to “at all times act with integrity.”</p>

Citing the Constitution, De Lima said that public officers and employees are supposed to “at all times act with integrity.”

De Lima: Sara Duterte's threats could lead to impeachment, disbarment, criminal cases

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De Lima: Sara Duterte's threats could lead to impeachment, disbarment, criminal cases

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 24, 2024 05:07 PM PHT

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Updated November 24, 2024 06:54 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Leila De Lima

France Castro

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