BINATIKOS ng Makabayan bloc nitong Miyerkules ang pahayag ni Vice President Sara Duterte na tatakbo siya sa pagkapangulo sa 2028, at tinawag itong isang “cynical and desperate attempt” para iwasan ang pananagutan habang nahaharap siya sa mga reklamong impeachment.

Sa isang pinagsamang pahayag, sinabi nina ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago at Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co na ang maagang pag-anunsiyo ng Bise Presidente ay tangkang palabasin na political harassment lamang ang impeachment process.

“Vice President Duterte’s premature declaration—more than two years before the 2028 elections—is not about serving the Filipino people. It is about framing the impeachment proceedings as purely political harassment rather than what they truly are: a constitutional process to hold an impeachable official accountable for grave offenses,” sinabi ng Makabayan bloc.

Iginiit ng mga mambabatas na ang mga reklamong impeachment ay nagmumula sa “serious allegations of corruption, misuse of confidential funds, and betrayal of public trust” at hindi dahil sa pulitikal na motibo.

“Huwag niyang linlangin ang mamamayan, Madam Vice President. Ang impeachment laban sa inyo ay hindi pulitika—ito ay tungkol sa pananagutan. This is about millions of pesos in confidential funds you cannot account for. This is about allegations that you received funding from POGO operators and drug dealers for your campaign. This is about whistleblowers from your own security group linking you to criminal activities,” pahayag nila.

Ayon sa Makabayan bloc, dinetalye sa reklamo ang “misuse of hundreds of millions of pesos with no clear accounting, no receipts, and no transparency,” pati ang alegasyong ginamit ang ilang opisyal ng militar sa kanyang security group upang maglipat ng malalaking halaga ng salapi.

“These are not political accusations. These are allegations of corruption, money laundering, and betrayal of public trust that demand investigation and accountability through impeachment,” anila.

Iginiit din ng Makabayan bloc na hindi nagbibigay ng proteksiyon ang pagbanggit ng planong kandidatura sa hinaharap, laban sa pagsusuri na nakaayon sa Konstitusyon.

“This is an insult to the constitutional process and to the Filipino people’s right to demand accountability. Impeachment is not a political tool—it is a constitutional mechanism to remove officials who have committed culpable violations of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft and corruption, or other high crimes,” sabi nila.

“Hindi ito tungkol sa 2028. Ito ay tungkol sa mga ginawa mo habang ikaw ay nakaupo bilang Vice President. This is about public funds you used without transparency. This is about criminals who allegedly financed your campaign while your father pretended to fight them,” dagdag pa sa pahayag.

Nanawagan ang Makabayan bloc sa House leaders na tipunin ang one-third vote na kailangan para mapabilis ang impeachment process, at iginiit na dapat ito’y nakatuon sa ebidensiya at kung ang Bise Presidente ay nagkasala ng impeachable offenses.

“Ang tanong ay simple: Guilty ba o innocent? May ebidensiya ba o wala? Ginamit ba nang tama ang confidential funds o hindi? Tumanggap ba siya ng pondo mula sa mga kriminal o hindi? ’Yan ang dapat sagutin—hindi kung sino ang tatakbo sa 2028,” anila.

Pinanindigan nilang ang impeachment case “is not about stopping her from running for president in 2028—it is about holding her accountable for what she did as Vice President.”

“Kung wala kang tinatago, Madam Vice President, harapin mo ang impeachment. Sagutin mo ang mga paratang. Ipakita mo ang resibo ng confidential funds. Huwag kang tumakbo sa 2028 para takasan ang accountability sa 2026,” sinabi nila.

Nangako ang bloc na ipagpapatuloy ang pagsuporta sa impeachment proceedings.

“We will continue to demand accountability, transparency, and justice. We will continue to support the impeachment process as a constitutional mechanism to hold corrupt officials accountable,” pahayag nila. “Accountability first. Justice first. The truth first. Then, and only then, can we talk about 2028,” giit ng Makabayan bloc.