House receives Senate notice on start of VP Duterte’s impeachment trial
The House of Representatives has received the Senate’s notice of the convening of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with the prosecution team expected to present the articles on June 2. (VP Sara Duterte impeachment composite image from Inquirer files)
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has received the Senate’s notice of the convening of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with the prosecution team expected to present the articles on June 2.
The confirmation was made by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco, and San Juan Rep. Ysabel Zamora, a member of the 11-member House prosecution team.
Romualdez, in a statement, said that they have received Senate President Francis Escudero’s letter regarding the impeachment trial, saying that they have already replied to the Senate leader to confirm their receipt.
“This will be transmitted to the Panel of House Prosecutors,” Romualdez said in the letter.
Velasco, in a separate message to 好色先生TV, answered in the affirmative when asked if they have received a notice about the Senate convening as an impeachment court.
Meanwhile, in an online interview on Thursday, Zamora said that several members of the prosecution team met earlier to discuss matters related to Duterte’s impeachment trial, including Senate President Francis Escudero’s letter formally inviting the panel to appear before them.
“We discussed the letter of the Senate President sent to the House of Representatives that we will present the Articles of Impeachment on June 2, before the Senate […] We discussed how it will proceed. I believe that our Office of Secretary General has been in contact with the Secretariat’s Office of the Senate,” Zamora told reporters covering the House.
“So first, they told us their communications with the Senate as regards how they expect us to present, or what they expect us to do. So we will follow the lead of the Senate president. We will be there, as stated in his letter, and we will read the articles of impeachment. That’s the only thing that we will do by June 2 because that is what was stated in their letter,” she added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Duterte was impeached on February 5 after 215 House lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint, which centered on issues such as the alleged misuse of the confidential funds (CF) of the Office of the Vice President and her assassination threats to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
READ: House impeaches Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate
The articles of impeachment were immediately transmitted to the Senate, as the 1987 Constitution requires a trial to start forthwith if at least one-third of all House members—in this case, just 102 out of 306 — have signed and endorsed the petition.
However, the trial has yet to start as the articles of impeachment were not forwarded to the Senate plenary before the session ended on February 5, which means that Congress would have to reconvene first after the election season, or through a special session to discuss the matter.
Senate President Francis Escudero previously said it would now be up to the 20th Congress to decide on Duterte’s impeachment.
But Escudero has formally invited the House prosecution panel to appear before them for Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Based on a copy of a letter from Escudero’s office, the Senate president informed Romualdez that the Senate “shall be ready to receive the House of Representatives’ panel of prosecutors” at 4 p.m. on the afternoon of June 2.
READ: Senate invites House prosecutors to Sara Duterte impeachment trial
All prosecutors present
According to Zamora, all 11 prosecutors who were elected by the House members last February 5, after Duterte was impeached, will be present since the 19th Congress is still in effect.
“Yes, that has been agreed upon,” Zamora said when asked if all 11 members of the prosecution panel — including Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon and General Santos City Rep. Loreto Acharon.
Bongalon, who ran for representative of the first legislative district of Albay, and Acharon, who sought reelection, both failed in their bids. With this, both lawmakers would no longer be members of the House prosecution team when the 20th Congress convenes.
“Yes. Actually, we mentioned that earlier, that was tackled, and then we agreed that it’s only right to do so. It’s still the 19th Congress when June 2 comes.”
“And, in fact, as of that time, they haven’t been constituted as an impeachment court. It’s stated in the letter that they will be constituted as an impeachment court by June 3. So I guess we will present the articles of impeachment during their session, which will be the resumption of the session,” she added.
Zamora said the Senate even sent a video sample on how similar trials are done in the United States.
“In fact, the Senate, I believe it was the Senate, who sent Congress a video of how it is done in the States. So while we will not, of course, do the exact same thing, there’s a reading of the articles of impeachment,” she noted.
Aside from her, Zamora said that the following members of the prosecution team were present during the meeting:
Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez. Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Keith Flores, and Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Arnan Panaligan.
On Wednesday, Zamora also assured that the prosecution team will pursue a conviction with the “same vigor” even as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered the hand of reconciliation to Vice President Duterte’s family.
Zamora, in an interview, said that they are even excited to work with the two new members of the prosecution team — former senator Leila de Lima and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, both of whom were recently elected as party-list representatives.
