A protester holds a placard and a pack of a popular potato chip, whose brand name bears resemblance to the name used in the acknowledgment receipts linked to alleged irregularities allegedly committed by the Office of the Vice President, during the protest action calling for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment in Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Jan. 31, 2025. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza
MANILA, Philippines — Hundreds of Filipinos flocked to Liwasang Bonifacio on Friday to demand the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Film director and actor Joel Lamangan stole the show, staying in character as flamboyant “Roda” of the hit TV series “Batang Quiapo” as he roused the public to action.
“It’s time that we feel the oppression being done to us. It’s time for us to open our eyes,” he said in Filipino during his speech.
“Let’s continue to speak, we shall not be afraid,” he added. “We should not just listen to what is happening, but instead, join protests and keep on telling the truth.”
WATCH: ‘NAKAKALOKA ANG GINAWA SA ATIN’
Director Joel Lamangan, who stays in character as “Roda” in Batang Quiapo, calls on the public to support the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/smgp5efwnw
— John Eric Mendoza (@JEMendozaINQ) January 31, 2025
The Manila Police District said that at one point, the activity was joined by more or less a thousand individuals backing the impeachment complaints filed against Duterte.
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The gathering was on top of another protest action held at Edsa Shrine in Quezon City, joined by more than a thousand protestors from civil societies and progressive groups, according to the Quezon City Police District.
The first impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed on Dec. 2, 2024 by civil society organizations while two more raps were filed later that month.
READ: Solon urges colleagues to act on impeachment raps vs VP Duterte
Duterte faces allegations of misuse of public funds by her office and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still education secretary.
Several teachers also joined the call against the former DepEd chief.
“We are one with the call to make the vice president accountable,” Erlinda Alfonso, a 47-year old teacher, told INQUIRER.net.
Alfonso, who has been teaching for more than two decades, lamented the undelivered laptops during Duterte’s time as DepEd chief and the P1250-million confidential funds which were reportedly spent for only 11 days.
READ: Solons blast low budget use, non-delivery of laptops of DepEd under Sara
“As a teacher, I am very much in favor of the impeachment because she has to be accountable,” said Mark Romulo, 28, in an interview with INQUIRER.net.
“She just disregarded the trust given to her by the people,” he added.
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The protest action was done weeks after a rally conducted by the Christian sect Iglesia Ni Cristo in support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s opposition to the impeachment of Duterte.
