PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon softened a bit on Vice President Sara Duterte last Tuesday, telling the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan bloc to set aside their plan to file an impeachment case against her.

“My unsolicited suggestion to the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan is to set aside plans for the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte. While they may believe there are sufficient grounds for impeachment, there is not enough time,” Gadon said, adding the election season is on the horizon.

“In a few days, election season na, filing of candidacy, and after Congress makes a recess, what follows is the campaign period,” he said.

Bayan is mulling the possibility of filing an impeachment complaint against the Vice President so she can be held accountable over allegations of fund misuse.

In a statement, Bayan secretary general Mong Palatino said Duterte’s refusal to answer questions on the use of the Office of the Vice President’s confidential fund during budget deliberations might be enough basis for an impeachment complaint against her.

Palatino was referring to the August 27 hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, where Duterte said that she either forgoes the opportunity to defend the OVP’s budget in a question-and-answer format, or by insisting that they have already coordinated with the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the notice of disallowance.