Senator Imee Marcos alleged that members of the House of Representatives were being offered cash incentives and government projects in exchange for voting in favor of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Marcos claimed lawmakers backing the impeachment complaint would allegedly receive P5 million in cash, an additional P3 million in monthly Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), and P150 million worth of projects.
She also alleged that lawmakers who vote against the complaint could face zero budget allocations and possible legal cases.
“Congs lang [ang may offer]. [Sa] senators, no offer—just under [the] gun haha,” Marcos said in a message to local media. “It is the carrot and the stick.”
The senator did not identify who allegedly made the offers or where the funds would come from.
House Committee on Justice chairperson Gerville Luistro denied the allegations, saying she had not encountered any such offer throughout the impeachment proceedings.
“I can speak for myself only and I deny that pronouncement of Sen. Imee with all due respect to her. Wala po akong na-encounter na ganyan,” Luistro said.
She also dismissed claims that lawmakers opposing the impeachment complaint were being threatened with budget cuts or legal action.
“As far as I am concerned, wala po tayong naririnig, nae-encounter na ganyan. As a matter of fact, wala pong kumausap sa akin re: this impeachment process since Day 1 of our proceeding of our justice committee,” she added.
The exchange came days before the House plenary vote on the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
Luistro is expected to sponsor the committee report and impeachment resolution during the House session on May 11. She said her sponsorship speech would focus on the committee’s findings on the complaint’s form, substance, grounds, and probable cause.
The impeachment complaint accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, and other high crimes, including alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Under House rules, at least 106 votes are needed to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said the Senate would convene as an impeachment court immediately upon receipt of the Articles of Impeachment, although the trial itself would take time due to pretrial preparations.
Duterte, meanwhile, said she remains unfazed by the impeachment efforts and maintained that she could continue serving Filipinos even outside government service.
