MANILA: Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Manila on Friday, urging the Philippine House of Representatives to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte faces three impeachment complaints over alleged misconduct and misuse of millions of dollars in government funds, but legislators have yet to tackle them just days before Congress adjourns next week ahead of the May midterm elections.
The 46-year-old vice president, who is estranged from President Ferdinand Marcos but remains his constitutional successor in case he is unable to perform his duties, has denied the allegations.
Marcos himself has urged Congress not to pursue Duterte’s impeachment, calling it a “storm in a teacup” that would distract the legislature from its primary responsibilities.
Protesters mostly wearing white shirts held placards calling for Duterte’s removal and chanted “Impeach! Impeach Sara now!” as they gathered beside Manila’s busiest avenue.
Around 4,000 people took part in the morning rally, police said, with authorities deploying 7,400 riot police to keep the peace.
Those numbers were dwarfed by a mammoth rally held on January 13 by a conservative sect that opposes Duterte’s impeachment.
House of Representatives member Percival Cendana, who backs one of the impeachment complaints, joined Friday’s rally and urged his colleagues to move fast.
Every day of inaction “condones the impunity, the abuse of power and the harassment that Duterte is doing to our country’s leaders,” he told reporters.
An impeachment will only proceed if it is backed by a third of House of Representatives members, and an impeached official can be removed from office by a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
“The Filipino people are here, ready to stand for truth and justice. Let’s not fail them,” Cendana said.
Protesters call for VP Duterte impeachment
https://arab.news/jvnbq
Protesters call for VP Duterte impeachment
- Sara Duterte faces three impeachment complaints over alleged misconduct and misuse of millions of dollars in government funds
- President Ferdinand Marcos himself has urged Congress not to pursue Duterte’s impeachment, calling it a ‘storm in a teacup’
Macron vows stronger cooperation with Nigeria after mass kidnappings
- Macron wrote on X that France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations”
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that France will step up cooperation with Nigeria after speaking with his counterpart, as the West African country faces a surge in abductions.
Nigeria has been wracked by a wave of kidnappings in recent weeks, including the capture of over 300 school children two weeks ago that shook Africa’s most populous country, already weary from chronic violence.
Macron wrote on X that the move came at Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s request, saying France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations,” while urging other countries to “step up their engagement.”
“No one can remain a spectator” to what is happening in Nigeria, the French president said.
Nigeria has drawn heightened attention from Washington in recent weeks, after US President Donald Trump said in November that the United States was prepared to take military action there to counter the killing of Christians.
US officials, while not contradicting Trump, have since instead emphasized other US actions on Nigeria including security cooperation with the government and the prospect of targeted sanctions.
Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups have plagued Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 school girls in the town of Chibok by Boko Haram militants.
The religiously diverse country is the scene of a number of long-brewing conflicts that have killed both Christians and Muslims, often indiscriminately.
Many scholars say the reality is more nuanced, with conflicts rooted in struggles for scarce resources rather than directly related to religion.
