The Liberal Party (LP) was not behind the impeachment move against President Rodrigo Durterte but it is not also a government’s puppet.

This was how Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, president of LP, responded to Pimentel’s challenge for the LP to denounce the impeachment complaint against the President if indeed it was not behind such move.

READ: LP to Pimentel: Don’t focus on Leni’s impeachment

The impeachment complaint was filed last week at the House of Representatives by Magdalo Partylist Rep. Gary Alejano.

“Koko et al stripped us of our committee chairmanships for not toeing the admin line on extrajudicial killings, the Marcos burial, the Lascañas and BID (Bureau of Immigration) hearings and then he expects us to denounce the impeachment proceedings to prove to him we aren’t behind the filing of the complaint?” Pangilinan said in a text message.

“Who is he to tell us what to do? Hindi lang siya ang halal na senador. Hindi kami ang nasa likod nung impeachment complaint pero hindi rin kami mga tutang sunod-sunuran,” he added. (He is not the only senator elected by the people. We are not behind the impeachment complaint, but we are also not puppets.)

Pimentel, during a press briefing on Monday, dared the LP to denounce the filing of an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte if indeed the group had nothing to do with it.

READ: Leni facing ouster try because LP woke sleeping giant — Pimentel

“Let’s say walang hand ang LP dito (LP had no hand in it), I hope they denounce the people behind the impeachment process (against Duterte). They are not denouncing it kaya tumutuloy po ‘yung duda (which is why there are doubts), na if they are not behind it, they are part of it,” the Senate leader said.

Pangilinan and other LP senators— Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Bam Aquino and Leila de Lima, were stripped of their key posts in the chamber purportedly for voting against the majority bloc on certain issues. An LP ally, Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros was also removed as chair of the Senate committee on health.

Following their ouster, the LP senators and Hontiveros joined the Senate minority bloc. CBB

Outbrain