Estrada confirms there’s a reso seeking to scrap Duterte impeachment trial
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada (Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada confirmed that he received a physical copy of a resolution seeking to dismiss the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In an interview on Wednesday, he told reporters that the document has been circulating among senators since June 2.
“It has been in circulation since Monday. I saw it,” said Estrada.
When asked if the proponents of the resolution had asked him to sign, he said no.
“No. We were just asked to read it,” he recalled, refusing to name the identity of the resolution’s proponent.
Estrada said he had consulted his lawyers about the matter but was not surprised to receive the document.
“There are already a lot of rumors going on about that. It was confirmed last Monday that there was, indeed, a resolution going around. But I don’t think there are senators who signed,” said Estrada.
If the document is not meant to be signed, Estrada wondered about its value.
Estrada thinks it’s a mere piece of paper if it doesn’t get filed and acted upon.
“We cannot talk about it anymore because that was not filed. That does not carry any weight,” he noted.
Several senators, including Senate President Francis Escudero, earlier refuted receiving a draft resolution allegedly seeking to dismiss the trial against Duterte.
Apart from Estrada, no other senator has confirmed the legitimacy of the document.
But Sen. Imee Marcos confirmed seeing several versions of a measure seeking to address the questions raised on the pending impeachment case against the vice president./apl/abc
