Paolo Duterte on Tuesday criticized the Makabayan bloc over ongoing impeachment efforts, as he himself faces a complaint filed in the House of Representatives alongside moves targeting other top elected officials.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, the Davao City lawmaker accused the bloc of weaponizing impeachment to destabilize the government rather than pursue genuine accountability. He questioned the group’s repeated calls for justice, arguing that these were being made without addressing alleged abuses he attributed to the New People’s Army, including claims involving civilians and minors.
Duterte linked the filing of impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and himself to what he described as a broader political strategy. He argued that the sequence and timing of the complaints reflected an attempt to exert pressure through legal mechanisms rather than through elections.
He warned that repeated impeachment initiatives risk weakening democratic institutions and eroding public trust, particularly when directed at officials who secured a popular mandate. Duterte maintained that impeachment should not serve as a substitute for electoral defeat.
The congressman said Filipinos would resist attempts by ideological groups to gain power through legal maneuvers, stressing that governance should remain grounded in the will of voters. His remarks come as impeachment actions involving multiple national officials continue to fuel tension within Congress.
