‘Duterte can be impeached for not defending Philippine EEZ’

FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Thursday, June 27, said that President Rodrigo Duterte can be impeached for violating the Constitution that mandates him to defend the Philippines’ territory.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, he said: “The Constitution states that the president and the military must secure the national territory, and the national territory includes the exclusive economic zone.”

“To violate that is really a basis for impeachment, he can be impeached,” he added.

According to Article 12, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, “The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”

The former DFA chief statements came after Duterte said China can fish along the country’s EEZ in the West Philippine Sea.

“I don’t think China would do that (to stop fishing in Philippine territory). Why? Because we’re friends,” said the president on Monday, June 24.

A constitutional expert, likewise, shared Del Rosario’s sentiments. Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, said he sees two grounds for Duterte’s impeachment.

“Either culpable violation (of the Constitution) or betrayal of public trust,” he said during an interview with CNN Philippines’ “Newsroom Ngayon” on Thursday.

Monsod stressed that the Constitution is clear that only Filipinos can enjoy the country’s EEZ, and “is not within (Duterte’s) power to compromise it.”

“That’s violative of the Constitution,” he said.

“He cannot compromise the provision of the Constitution. He cannot. That’s his duty – to preserve and defend it, and the Constitution says ‘yung ating (our) EEZ is exclusive to Filipinos so how can he compromise on that?” he added.

On Wednesday, Duterte said in a speech that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier agreed that Beijing will no longer block Filipino fishermen from Scarborough Shoal, if Manila would allow Chinese fishermen to fish in Recto Bank.

“Will you allow the Chinese to fish? Of course. That’s what we talked about before, that’s why we talked. And that was why we were allowed to fish again. It was a mutual agreement. Let’s give and take. You can fish here, and I can fish there,” Duterte said.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, meanwhile, said an impeachment case against Duterte would be a “very good test case” if he indeed violated the Constitution.

“I suggest that they file an impeachment and let’s see if they are right,” he said on Thursday.