Palace on possible Robredo impeachment due to stance over UNCHR resolution: ”We have better things to do”

July 15, 2019

Malacanang said on Monday it has "better things" to do than to waste its time pushing for an impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement after  Manuelito Luna, commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, raised the possibility of impeachment against Robredo for supporting the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Commission calling for an investigation on the alleged bloody war on drugs. Luna, in an interview with ANC, said Robredo should not embarrass the Philippine government internationally. Panelo apparently said if there was any violation that Robredo could have committed, it was "gross ignorance." "Is ignorance a betrayal of the public trust? That is my response. If gross ignorance is the ground for impeachment; is that a ground under the Constitution?" he said. He said it would only be the impeachment court or the Supreme Court, which could decide this. "But you know, we have better things to do. There are so many problems in this country. I will leave it to those who would want to initiate whatever they want to initiate against whomsoever," said Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel. Celerina Monte/DMS