Metro Manila, Philippines – House lawmakers want the Senate to immediately convene as an impeachment court to begin the trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte amid the congressional break.
Before Congress went on a four-month recess for the midterm elections, the Senate received the articles of impeachment with 215 signatures. However, Senate President Chiz Escudero said the chamber cannot convene on a session break.
In a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 6, House Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor and 1-Rider party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, who will stand as impeachment prosecutors, respected Escudero’s remark.
“Since the Constitution provides that a trial shall proceed forthwith, if we interpret forthwith, dapat po sana [it should be] as soon as possible ‘yun. But, since the Senate is an independent body, and we respect their independence being a bicameral legislature, we will leave that to the interpretation of the Senate,” Defensor said.
“The trial itself is a mandate of the Senate and we respect that and we look forward to the release of the rules and how they will go about it,” Gutierrez said.
But one of the complainants, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, said the Senate should act on the case immediately.
“Kung gusto ay may pwedeng gawin. Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan at maraming sinisisi,” Castro said in a chance interview.
[Translation: If they want it, they could do something about it. If not, there are many excuses and finger-pointing.]
Defensor said there is a possibility that the trial will cross over to the 20th Congress, especially if the impeachment court will convene in June when the session resumes.
Meanwhile, another impeachment prosecutor, Manila Rep. Joel Chua, said House members were not forced to sign the complaint.
“Well, this is not the first time that this happened, and in fact, ito po ang [this is the] House action,” Chua said. “Wala naman po ang railroading dito [There was no railroading].”
Chua said the impeachment prosecutors will meet this week or next to plan for the trial.
