Duterte impeachment has basis, not ‘witch hunt’ - lawmakers

Metro Manila, Philippines - Some House of Representatives members said the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte has basis, contrary to the remarks of Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri that the impeachment is a “witch hunt.”

Zubiri, a senator-judge in the looming trial, said there is an attempt to remove Duterte from office and replace her.

Impeachment prosecutor and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said impartiality is expected from senator-judges.

“It’s very unbecoming of a senator-judge in an impeachment trial to say that the impeachment complaint and the trial is a witch hunt,” Defensor told reporters on Tuesday, July 8.

“We should limit what we say to the public, especially how we prejudge the impeachment as well the coming evidence during the trial,” he added, noting that the statement may appear “telegraphing a dismissal.”

Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, poised to become an impeachment prosecutor, said “witch hunt” is out of the question.

“You talk about witch hunt kung walang basehan. Pwede ‘yun siguro du’n sa mga ginawa nila sa akin that the past administration: kinasuhan ako ng mga trumped up, bogus charges; ‘Yun ‘yung witch hunt, kangaroo hearing,” she said.

[Translation: You talk about witch hunts if there is no basis. It can apply to what the past administration did to me: filed trumped up, bogus charges;That is witch hunt, a kangaroo hearing.]

The administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the vice president’s father, filed three drug charges against de Lima. She has been cleared of all cases.

For ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, one of the complainants in the second impeachment case, Zubiri seemed to have made his decision.

“Unfortunately for Senator Migz na isa sa mga senator-judges, parang publicly ay may hatol na siya sa merits ng impeachment complaint dahil ‘pag sinabi mong witch hunt, tingin mo walang batayan, ‘yung inaapi ‘yung opisyal nang walang batayan,” Tinio said.

[Translation: Unfortunately for Senator Migz, who is one of the senator-judges, it appears that he has a decision on the merits of the impeachment complaint because when you say witch hunt, you do not see any basis.]

The House members called on the Senate again to begin the impeachment trial.

“I think we have to hunt for the truth. We have to hunt for accountability. We have to hunt for transparency,” Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said.

The Impeachment Court convened on June 10 and decided to return the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives to comply with certain conditions: certification that the complaint is constitutional and that 20th Congress representatives will signify their intent to proceed with the trial.

The House, deferring the acceptance of the remanded complaint, has already certified that the Articles of Impeachment is lawful.

The House impeached Duterte in February with 215 signatures.