CHIEF Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Thursday shrugged off the filing of a supplemental impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte, in connection with his supposed agreement with China over disputed waters.
In a statement, Panelo said the case filed by Magdalo Partylist Representative Gary Alejano is "nonsense," explaining that it could be considered a "prohibited complaint" because the law only allows one impeachment complaint against the President per year.
"It may even be deemed to be a second impeachment complaint, which is a prohibited complaint under the one-year prohibition limiting the filing to only one complaint in a year," he said.
Alejano had already sought the removal of Duterte from office in mid-March, on the grounds that the Chief Executive committed "culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes."
Malacañang had denied that the President committed an impeachable offense.
Only two weeks after filing an impeachment rap, Alejano filed a supplemental case against Duterte for his "failure" to assert the country's maritime rights and territorial claims over West Philippine Sea and Benham Rise.
Alejano said Duterte's inaction constitutes "betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution."
Duterte earlier said he allowed China to enter Benham Rise as long as it asks permission from the Philippine government.
The Chief Executive had also chided Alejano for encouraging him to invoke the Philippines' rights over the contested waters, maintaining his position that he cannot pick a fight with China.
In his petition, Alejano said it is a "sad reality" that the President "has failed an/or refused to assert and has apparently abandoned the Philippines' rightful claim over the disputed islands."
Panelo said Alejano merely wants to gain publicity, at the expense of Duterte.
"It (filing of case) is nonsense geared for propaganda and publicity for himself," Panelo said. (VoxPop Philippines)
