House vows to pass key bills

THE House of Representatives leadership is committed to passing priority legislation despite impeachment duties that may divert attention from policymaking, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

In a statement, Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V said Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos III is focused on steering the approval of the administration’s key measures, even as the House faces the prospect of evaluating the impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“The impeachment process is a constitutional duty that we take seriously, but it is only one of many responsibilities of the House,” he said. “Amid a packed legislative agenda, House Majority Leader Marcos took the lead in securing the approval of vital measures.”

Ms. Duterte faces three impeachment complaints alleging the misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds allocated to her office and to the Education department when she was secretary.

The House earlier this week dismissed two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., ending a short-lived bid to remove him from office over corruption allegations tied to a multibillion-peso flood control scandal. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio