Akbayan plans mass action to compel Senate to start Sara Duterte trial
Vice President Sara Duterte. Photo by Lyn Rillon.
MANILA, Philippines — A series of mass actions will be conducted by Akbayan Partylist along with civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas to demand the Senate to comply with its constitutional duty to try
In a statement on Friday, Akbayan said the series of mass action will be held beginning June 9 to June 11.
READ: Presentation-of-impeachment-articles-vs-vp-sara-moved-to-june-11-2
‘[The mass actions] will kickstart with a People’s March and an Ecumenical gathering in front of the Senate building in Pasay City on June 9 with a crowd of more than 3,000. This will be followed by a People’s vigil on June 10, and culminating on June 11 with a Day of Action for Truth and Accountability march of more than 5,000 participants,” said Akbayan.
Akbayan believes that the Senate should fulfill its constitutional duty to convene the impeachment court.
In the same statement, Akbayan Partylist President Rafaela David emphasized that the people’s task now is to remind the Senate leadership of their constitutional duty to convene the impeachment court.
`Sworn oaths’
“To delay this task not only violates their sworn oaths but also adds to growing suspicions that they are favoring VP Sara,” she said.
“This unusual delay is needlessly eroding the public’s trust in the Senate and inviting our citizens’ anger. The public sentiment wants her to face trial. They are patiently waiting–but that patience has limits,” she warned.
The group likewise condemned the “illegal” attempts to dismiss the impeachment case without a formal trial, pertaining to the draft resolution initiated by Sen. Bato dela Rosa that is now being circulated among senators.
“It is absurd to have a dismissal of a case when there hasn’t been a formal hearing. They are asking for acquittal without holding a hearing,” according to David a mixed Filipino and English.
Senate President Chiz Escudero postponed the presentation of Articles of Impeachment against Duterte from June 2 to June 11.
The reading of the Articles of Impeachment would allow the Senate to convene into an impeachment court and tackle the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte./mr
