Anti-corruption advocates attempted to file a second impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on January 22 over alleged betrayal of public trust, but the House Office of the Secretary General refused it because Secretary General Cheloy Garafil was unavailable.
On Thursday, January 22, anti-corruption advocates from various sectors tried to file an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for alleged betrayal of public trust, specifically citing large-scale plunder through presidential and congressional allocations in the national budget, and the continued use of unprogrammed appropriations for anomalous infrastructure projects. It also alleged a system of kickbacks and "commitments" in infrastructure projects benefiting him and high-ranking officials.
The House Office of the Secretary General (OSG) refused the filing because Secretary General Cheloy Garafil was unavailable, as she was set to receive the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon from Taiwan in Taipei on January 23. Human rights lawyers and Bayan Muna Chairperson Neri Colmenares argued that her absence should not block the filing, noting House rules require submission to the OSG, not necessarily to her personally.
This marked the second complaint this week, and complainants considered it filed despite Garafil's absence. The three-member Makabayan bloc planned to endorse it, as they had in past efforts. Complainants included progressive groups representing workers, professionals, teachers, students, farmers, and the urban poor.
Bayan President Renato Reyes stated that allegations against Marcos and resigned former Cabinet members remain uninvestigated, suggesting the president's complicity. Acceptance on Thursday would allow referral to the House justice committee alongside the first complaint. However, filing on January 26, when Congress resumes, might exclude it, risking the one-year prohibition rule.
Some House lawmakers called the first complaint rushed and deficient, unlikely to succeed given Marcos's majority support.
