Photo credit: Congress PH

Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said the House of Representatives already appears to have more than enough votes to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte once the Articles of Impeachment reach the plenary floor on May 11.

The Antipolo lawmaker said support for the impeachment has continued to grow following the House Committee on Justice’s finding of probable cause in two impeachment complaints against Duterte. The committee has already approved the report and Articles of Impeachment for plenary consideration.

Speaking in an interview with dzMM on Thursday, Puno said the numbers needed to move the impeachment forward were already present even during the early stages of the process.

“Eto na, andito na tayo, 106 madali. Noon pa 106 na yan sa tingin ko. Nung doon pa lang sa form and substance, kayang-kaya na ‘yung 106. Pero ngayon na marami pang information na lumabas, siguro lalong mas lumilinaw sa isip natin mga kababayan,” Puno shared.

Under the Constitution, at least one-third of House members, or 106 votes, are needed to approve impeachment articles and send the case to the Senate for trial.

Puno, who also serves as chairman of the National Unity Party, revealed that a recent internal straw vote within the party showed strong backing for impeachment.

“Nag-meeting kami nung isang araw, nag-straw vote kami, sinecret ballot ko sila. Siguro mga at the time 34 yung nag-vote ng yes,” Puno said.

The deputy speaker said the numbers could still rise in the coming days as some lawmakers who were absent during the vote or remain undecided finalize their positions.

“…Sa mga darating na araw mag-decision na rin siguro yan. Ako tingin ko minimum siguro mga 36 kami [in favor of impeachment],” he added.

Puno also projected that other major political parties in the House could deliver enough votes to push support far beyond the constitutional threshold.

“Ako sa pananaw ko, ‘yung aming percentage sa boto ng aming partido medyo hahawig ‘yan sa percentage ng ibang partido pwera yung Lakas na mas mataas. Yung Lakas siguro kung nasa 70 sila baka 40-50 mag-yes sa kanila, baka 20 lang mag-no. Tapos sa 50 na yan, kung sa amin lagay mo sa 34-36, di 86 na yan. Kung sa NPC, 49 ang NPC ngayon, lagay mo sa 30 na lang, 100 whatever. Lampas na yan. Idagdag mo pa ‘yung PFP kahit 51 sila lagay mo kahit 35. Ganoon na ‘yan. Tapos dagdag mo ngayon mga 30 ng party-list out of kalahati. Sinasabi na lang natin kalahati na ‘yan. Andun na tayo sa 180? So ‘yan tingin ko madali ‘yung 180. Kung talagang magbago ng isip ng lahat, ‘yung mga nag-abstain, ang abstain tingin ko namumuro sa yes yan, hindi namumuro sa no. So baka mas mataas pa. Pero 180 ang nakikita ko minimum na makukuha.”

Despite the projections, Puno said lawmakers are still consulting with constituents in their districts before the scheduled vote.

He also noted that emotions surrounding the impeachment issue have started to settle, with more lawmakers now focusing on the evidence discussed during committee hearings rather than political tensions.

“So may mga ganoon siguro na maapekto rin sa kanilang mga desisyon. Pero sa tinagal-tagal ng panahon medyo ‘yung initial na alam mo emotional na desisyon dito parang nawawala na. Ang mga congressman ngayon parang bugbog na sa maraming pangyayari at nag-iisip na lang talaga ng maayos tungkol sa actual mga ebidensya nakikita nila. Sa amin hindi masyadong emosyonal sa nakikita ko sa Congress. Iba na ang pinag-uusapan. Yung committee hearings ngayon mas dumadami na ang nag-attend kasi parang iba na rin na gustong pag-usapan ng Congressman siguro,” Puno said.