Manila, Philippines – A political bombshell almost went off Thursday. Allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte marched to the House of Representatives, ready to accuse President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of serious offenses. Their goal? To impeach him. But their explosive plan hit a sudden, strange wall.
The air crackled with tension. Former party list representative Ronald Cardema and his wife, Duceille Marie Cardema, arrived at the House Secretary General’s office around 3:20 p.m. They carried a 24-page complaint. They say President Marcos broke the law and betrayed the country. The main charge? That Marcos allowed the “illegal arrest and transfer” of Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
But the doors to filing the complaint seemed firmly shut. Officials told the Cardemas that only House Secretary General Reginald Velasco could accept their papers. They waited. And waited. As the workday ended, they had no choice but to leave, their complaint unfiled. A notice on the office door said staff were away for a “strategic planning session” until May 8. To add to the delay, the Batasang Pambansa, where Congress meets, is closed on Fridays.2
“It is [the] ministerial duty for any government office to receive documents,” the Cardemas later said in a statement. They argued that the rules don’t say the top boss himself must take the papers.
The President’s office, Malacañang, stands firm. They say Duterte’s arrest was legal. The government, they explain, was just keeping its promise to work with Interpol, the international police. They also point to a Philippine law. This law, Republic Act No. 9851, says the Philippines can hand over suspects to international courts.
Even if the complaint had been filed, it would face a wait. Speaker Martin Romualdez said, “We’re not in session right now so not much can be done.” Congress is set to return on June 2, just before it adjourns again on June 13.
The Cardemas, staunch supporters of Duterte, are not backing down. Ronald Cardema was a youth commissioner under Duterte. His sister, Drixie Mae Cardema, who is currently the Duterte Youth representative, was supposed to endorse the impeachment.
Their complaint argues that President Marcos committed “culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.” They believe the ICC has no power over the Philippines because the country left the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC. Therefore, they say, helping the ICC arrest Duterte was wrong.
However, the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the Philippines still has duties to the ICC.
The Cardemas accuse President Marcos of giving up control to a foreign body. “This act is a blatant constitutional violation of national sovereignty,” their complaint states. They claim Marcos “deceived the Filipino people and failing to uphold his sworn duty.”
This would be the first impeachment move against President Marcos. It comes after a clear split between him and Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter. She herself might face an impeachment trial when Congress is back in July.
Legal experts are divided. Most agree the ICC still has a case against Duterte, no matter how he was arrested. But they don’t all agree if his arrest itself was by the book. Some, like former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, believe Duterte should have faced a Philippine court first. Others, like retired Justice Antonio Carpio, say the arrest was valid under Philippine law.
The drama is far from over. With the complaint waiting in the wings, the Philippines watches to see what happens next in this high-stakes political showdown.
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