House leaders strongly denied allegations that lawmakers were promised or given P20 million in exchange for voting to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
The denial came during plenary proceedings at the House of Representatives, where lawmakers voted 257-25, with nine abstentions, to approve the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
Senior Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor dismissed the accusation after Batangas Rep. Leandro Legarda-Leviste raised the issue on the floor.
“Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House, we categorically deny any such allegations,” Defensor said.
Leviste asked whether reports were true that lawmakers supporting Duterte’s impeachment would receive P20 million, though he did not cite any evidence or identify the source of the claim.
“It should at least be fair that everyone who votes gets P20 million, and those who do not vote hopefully should also be given that, because this is taxpayers’ money and should not be allocated on the basis of your vote on the impeachment,” Leviste said during the session.
Defensor reiterated that the allegation was completely false.
The issue surfaced days after Senator Imee Marcos also claimed that funds were allegedly being offered in connection with the impeachment proceedings, though she likewise did not present proof.
Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre challenged Marcos to substantiate her accusation instead of making what he described as baseless attacks against the House.
“Kung may ebidensiya si Senadora Imee, ilabas niya ang resibo. Pangalanan niya ang tumanggap, pangalanan niya ang nag-alok, at magsampa siya ng kaso. Kung wala, tigilan niya ang diversion at paninira sa buong Kamara,” Acidre said.
He also reminded Marcos of the need to uphold respect between the two chambers of Congress.
“Senadora siya. Dapat alam niya ang bigat ng ganitong paratang. Ang Senado at Kamara ay kapwa sangay ng Kongreso. Ang respeto sa co-equal chamber ay hindi dapat optional, lalo na kung wala ka namang hawak na patunay,” he added.
Leviste himself recently faced criticism from fellow lawmakers after accusing colleagues of vote-buying in previous elections, claims that also drew strong reactions inside the chamber.