MANILA: The Philippine House justice committee on Wednesday said two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., accusing him of corruption, violating the constitution and betraying public trust, were lacking in substance.
On a third day of discussions about the complaints filed separately by a lawyer and activists, the committee overwhelmingly decided both lacked merit. Marcos, who is midway through his term in office, had denied wrongdoing.
The House of Representatives is expected to convene for a plenary vote where it could either uphold the committee’s findings or override them. The chamber is currently dominated by loyalists of the president.
Gerville Luistro, the head of the justice committee, said they plan to finish the report and submit it to the plenary on Monday next week.
“We intend to transmit right away to the plenary, but it depends on the plenary as to when the same will be tackled on the floor,” Luistro told a press conference.
For Marcos to be impeached it must be supported by at least one-third of the lower house. If that happens, he would be the second Philippine head of state to be impeached after Joseph Estrada, whose 2001 trial was aborted when some prosecutors walked out. The complaints against Marcos included his decision to allow his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested and taken to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court over thousands of killings during his notorious “war on drugs.”
Marcos, 68, was also accused of abusing his authority in spending public funds that led to a corruption scandal involving flood-control projects. His alleged drug use, which he has denied, also made him unfit to run the country, according to one of the complaints.
If the lower house decides to impeach him, the Senate would be required to convene for trial, where its 24 members serve as jurors.
Five top officials have been impeached in the Philippines and only one of those, a former chief justice, was convicted and removed from office.
Philippines House panel finds bid to impeach Marcos lacks substance
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Philippines House panel finds bid to impeach Marcos lacks substance
- President denies allegations of corruption and constitutional violations
- Lower chamber is currently dominated by loyalists of the president
Indonesia’s first woman president awarded honorary doctorate by Princess Nourah University
- Megawati was recognized for her leadership and contributions to social, legal affairs
- She has received 10 other honorary degrees from Indonesian and foreign institutions
JAKARTA: Megawati Sukarnoputri, who served as Indonesia’s fifth president and was the country’s only female head of state to date, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, becoming the first foreign national to receive the title.
Megawati, the eldest daughter of Indonesia’s first President Sukarno and chairwoman of the country’s largest political party, the PDIP, served as president from 2001 to 2004.
The 79-year-old was awarded an honorary doctorate in organizational and legal affairs in Riyadh on Monday during a ceremony overseen by Princess Nourah University’s acting president, Dr. Fawzia bint Sulaiman Al-Amro.
“This recognition was given in appreciation of her efforts during her presidency, her significant contributions to social, organizational, and legal fields, and her role in strengthening institutional leadership in Indonesia,” the university said in a statement.
This is Megawati’s 11th honorary doctorate. She has received similar degrees from Indonesian and foreign universities, including the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 2003 and the Soka University of Japan in 2020.
She has also been awarded the title of honorary professor by several institutions, including by the Seoul Institute of the Arts in 2022.
“We gather at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, a university that stands as a symbol of women’s progress in education, knowledge and public service … To see so many intelligent women, I feel very proud,” Megawati said in her acceptance speech.
“Women’s empowerment is not a threat to any values, culture or tradition. It is actually a condition for nations that believe in their future … A great nation is one that is able to harness all of its human potential. A strong nation is one that does not allow half of its social power to be left on the sidelines of history.”
Megawati is the longest-serving political leader in Indonesia. Indonesia’s first direct presidential elections took place during her presidency, consolidating the country’s transition to democracy after the downfall of its longtime dictator Suharto in 1998.
