TURNING POINT: A Sinking Boat

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 8 February) – Vice President Sara Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of 215, more than the 102 or one-third of the 306 members required under the constitution. The flamboyant Duterte shrugged off the figures, saying that happened because she makes no friends with politicians, a contradictory gesture from a die-hard politician herself.

Sara’s composure is that of a panicky duck that looks queenly calm on the pond surface but whose feet are furiously wadding beneath.

The smiles and jokes look panicky, burdened by the crimes she allegedly committed as enumerated in the Articles of Impeachment, namely, conspiracy to assassinate Marcos, his wife, and Speaker Romualdez, large-scale corruption, abuse of public funds, and involvement in extrajudicial killings.

The Articles of Impeachment have already been transmitted to the Senate. It is now for the senators to decide on the political plight of Sara. If convicted, she would be removed as vice president, and for life be disqualified from holding a government post. She could not run even as a barangay kagawad.

Duterte, however, can only be removed from office with a two-thirds vote of the Senate, convened as an Impeachment Court. That means 15 senators out of 23 are needed to convict her. If convicted her political aspiration to be President of the Republic is condemned.

Impeachment, however, is a political game. Do the impeachment advocates have the number?

Nine sitting senators, known allies of the Dutertes or friends of Sara, namely, Alan Peter Cayetano, Bato dela Rosa, Bong Go, Robin Padilla, Manuel Lapid, Pia Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Tolentino, and Imee Marcos may thwart a conviction. If no one leaves the camp, Sara’s freedom is secured.

But an impeachment trial may release to the open the stench of toxic trash kept by the accused that could change the perspective and feelings even of a bosom friend. A realignment may ensue.

Sara’s trust and approval ratings had plunged to as low as 49 percent from 60 percent in the last Pulse Asia Survey. This information may shape the position of some senators, especially those on the campaign trail.

Who would jump into a sinking boat?

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental.)