Escudero to those rushing Sara Duterte trial: 鈥業 won鈥檛 listen to them鈥�
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero —File photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta | Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday rejected calls to “rush” their constitutional duty to start the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Escudero maintained the Senate would proceed with its schedule to hear the presentation of charges against Duterte by the House of Representatives panel of prosecutors and the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court on June 11.
“I’ve said this from the beginning: Whether someone is for or against the impeachment, whether they support VP Sara or oppose her — I will not listen to them,” he said in Filipino at a press briefing in the Senate.
“I will do what is right, proper, and in accordance with the Constitution and the law, based on what I believe is right,” he added.
READ: LOOK: Protesters urge Senate to proceed with Duterte impeachment trial
The Senate chief made the remark when asked if he felt any pressure after various groups came out in pubic to call for the Senate to immediately act on the impeachment case against Duterte.
Some of these groups, including Akbayan Party, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party, and Tindig Pilipinas, are currently holding a rally outside the Senate to urge senators to fulfill their constitutional mandate of starting the trial against Duterte.
Asked to comment on this call, Escudero said: “They want us to rush our constitutional duty.”
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“We will fulfill our duty, but not according to their timeline simply because they are in a rush. As I’ve said, this is a process that must be followed—and we are following it. It will not proceed on their terms, nor at a time they have chosen,” he added.
He also questioned why the Senate is now being rushed to hold the trial against Duterte when the same proceeding in the past were conducted after the scheduled recess of Congress.
Escudero cited in particular the impeachment trials of then President Joseph Estrada, then Chief Justice Renato Corona and former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
“In those three cases, Congress held the trial after their scheduled recess. There was no difference. The impeachment complaint was filed a few days before the Senate went on recess. The Senate recessed, and the trial took place after the recess. We didn’t hear any complaints back then from any groups,” he said.
It’s the same in the case of Duterte, the Senate chief pointed out.
The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate on February 5, the last day before Congress went on a four-month break and the chamber is set to the convene as an impeachment court this Wednesday, June 11.
Escudero said there would have been a constitutional crisis if he followed proposals to hold the trial even when Congress was on break.
“It’s clearly prohibited and illegal. If we had followed what they wanted, it would have given the respondent, VP Sara, additional ammunition that could be brought to the Supreme Court — and that would have become a problem for all of us again.”
“Not because she would be favored or not, but because it could lead to a constitutional crisis where the Court might stop the Senate from carrying out its work.”
On whether there is undue delay in the impeachment proceeding against Duterte, Escudero pointed to the high tribunal as the final arbiter of all legal questions.
“The only one who can say who is right or wrong at this point is history. This isn’t just a matter of whose opinion is more popular.”/atm / gsg
