MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Sunday said any impeachment complaint against President Benigno S. Aquino III over the sale of a government property in Baguio City will face “instant death” in the  House.

Earlier, a Danilo Lihaylihay, who identified himself as president of the Philippine Association of Revenue Informers, wrote House minority leaders to urge them “to initiate the appropriate proceedings in Congress” against the President.

In a letter to House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Lihaylihay had accused the President of committing massive tax fraud in the P500-million sale of a government property known as "Governor's Park" along Session Road in Baguio City to SM Investment Corporation.

He also urged the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje and SM Investments for tax evasion and graft and corrupt practices through conspiracy and connivance for supposed failure to remit the taxes arising from the sale.

Belmonte described Lihaylihay’s accusation as “baseless and unfounded.”

“This will not fly because it is baseless and unfounded. The President has nothing to do with the transaction. The story was not true. The auction and award were done in 1992 and the full payment was in 1997. The documentation was completed in 2011,” Belmonte said.

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III agreed with Belmonte, saying, “There is no basis and it will not prosper.”

However, Suarez expressed readiness to file the complaint if it has “basis.”

“Though I haven’t made a commitment, I am willing to file it if this would have basis to warrant an impeachable offense,” Suarez said

House opposition member, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, for his part, said, “the minority has to discuss and consider the existence of evidence.”

Meanwhile, Malacañang said they are still verifying the reported impeachment complaint planned against President Aquino.

"We are still verying that. We have not received any verification that an impeachment complaint was filed against President Aquino,” Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Valte however was quick to defend Ochoa's involvement in the Baguio transaction, saying the Executive Secretary could not have signed fake documents alleged by his critic.

"Normally when there are things like this, we are able to explain because these are all aboveboard. That's why all I can say is Executive Secretary Ochoa will never sign fake documents," she said.

As this developed, Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo reminded that those who want to pursue the complaint have to muster at least 95 votes to transmit the complaint to the Senate.

“We will have to see and read the case first to know how it will prosper. Remember though that it will require them to produce at least 95 members to endorse the impeachment complaint to the Senate,” Quimbo said.

Quimbo’s fellow House prosecution spokesman, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said they cannot stop anyone from filing impeachment complaint against government officials.

“Any member of Congress or any citizen has the right to file impeachment raps against certain officials in the government. Whether it will prosper is another matter altogether. I'm not aware of this particular matter, the facts and circumstances of a Baguio property sale,” he said.