Senator-judge recusal in impeachment trial voluntary - Escudero

Metro Manila, Philippines - A senator-judge’s recusal from the impeachment trial is voluntary, Senate President Chiz Escudero said amid clamor for allies of Vice President Sara Duterte to inhibit.

In an Independence Day event in Malaysia, Duterte was with Senator-judges Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla.

Citing the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona, Escudero said the court decided that a judge’s inhibition cannot be put to a vote.

“It is voluntary on the part of the impeachment court judge at hindi ‘yan pwedeng ipilit sa sinuman pabor man kay [and it cannot be forced to anyone in favor] VP Sara o kontra man kay [or against] VP Sara; pabor man sa [for] impeachment o kontra man sa [or against] impeachment,” Escudero said.

“That is addressed to the sound discretion of each judge kung may hihiling man niyan [if someone would call for it],” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte said senators cannot be asked to inhibit based on bias.

“Kung ganoon ng ating basehan sa inhibition ay dapat din natin ipa-inhibit doon ang mga senators na meron ding bias against Sara Duterte katulad na lang ni Senator Risa Hontiveros,” the vice president said.

[Translation: If that is the basis of inhibition, then we should ask senators who are biased against Sara Duterte, like Senator Risa Hontiveros, to inhibit.]

Duterte asked the public to give the benefit of the doubt to senator-judges that they would be impartial.

The Impeachment Court remanded the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives.

With 215 votes, the House impeached Duterte in February for alleged confidential fund misuse, bribery, and killing threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez among other issues.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.