Duterte may benefit if some senator-judges inhibit from trial - Pimentel

Metro Manila, Philippines - Allowing some senator-judges to inhibit from the impeachment trial would be favorable to Vice President Sara Duterte, lawyer and outgoing Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel said, as he rejected calls for recusal.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, June 17, Pimentel said senators should state their decision once the trial ends whether or not they will convict the impeached vice president instead of distancing themselves from the case.

A number of groups called out senator-judges allied with the Dutertes to inhibit themselves from the case.

Duterte, meanwhile, on Monday said senators who are critical of her -- like Risa Hontiveros – must recuse if her allies are told to do so.

“Huwag na magpa-inhibit…Ang taumbayan na ang huhusga sa desisyon ng bawat senador. Kapag inhibit, nakakalusot pa siya e,” Pimentel said.

“Kailangan 16 talaga sabi ng mag-guilty…Kapag hindi tayo maka-16 na magsabi ng guilty, kasi tumahimik lang siyam, not guilty, not convicted,” he added.

[Translation: Let us not inhibit…It’s the people who will judge the decisions of each senator. When they inhibit, they can still get away with it. Sixteen votes are really needed to say someone is guilty… If we can’t get 16 to say guilty because nine remained silent, then it’s not guilty, not convicted.]

Meanwhile, the veteran lawmaker said the decision of 18 senators to remand the case back to the House of Representatives “invites” potential legal challenges.

Pimentel is one of the five senator-judges who opposed returning the case to the prosecution panel — an amended motion from the original proposal of Sen. Bato dela Rosa, who in his capacity as senator judge, asked to dismiss the case.

However, Pimentel said taking the matter further to the Supreme Court would mean more delays.

“Sa ngayon wala pa nagfa-file. We’re not bogged down with court cases yet… it may even be a trap when you file edi na-bog down ka na ng court cases…So it might even be better to just wait,” he said.

[Translation: As of now, no one has filed yet. We're not bogged down with court cases yet…it may even be a trap, once you file, you end up bogged down with court cases… So it might even be better to just wait.]

Hontiveros: I’ll side with evidence

Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros maintained that she will be voting in the trial based on evidence.

Duterte previously accused the lawmaker of taking a public stance against her family.

“Kakampi man, o kritiko ng pangalawang pangulo. Sinusunod ko po ang tungkulin na iyan, at inaasahan ko rin ito sa ibang senador,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

[Translation: Whether an ally or a critic of the Vice President, I fulfill that duty, and I expect the same from the other senators.]

The lawmaker urged the vice president to respond to the summons issued by the Impeachment Court on June 11.