Senate President Francis Escudero. Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senate President Francis Escudero said it would be up to the Senate as an impeachment court to decide whether it can conclude the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte before the 19th Congress ends.
He made this remark at a press conference on Monday after being asked to comment on Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino鈥檚 suggestion for the chamber to expedite the proceedings against Duterte, believing that the trial could not extend into the 20th Congress.
鈥淭hat is something that should be decided by the impeachment court, not the Senate. It can only be discussed once the impeachment court has been convened because that is the court鈥檚 decision to make,鈥� Escudero said.
READ: Escudero: If Sara Duterte is impeached, President will nominate VP
Escudero also questioned why the impeachment proceedings against Duterte should be expedited.
鈥淪houldn鈥檛 we protect the rights of both sides? The accused and the prosecution should be given enough time to present their cases so that the senator-judges will have a proper basis for their decision when the time comes,鈥� he said.
In an interview over DZBB on Sunday, Tolentino said he thoroughly studied the 1987 Constitution. He noted that it specifically states that nothing can prevent the Senate from promulgating its own rules 鈥渁s long as it does not affect the substantive rights of the respondent.鈥�
READ: Presentation of impeachment articles vs Sara Duterte moved to June 11
To prove his point that the impeachment trial against Duterte could be completed in just 19 days, he proposed the following timeline:
- June 11 鈥� Convening of the impeachment court
- June 22 鈥� Submission of summons, reply of prosecutors
- June 23 鈥� Submission of trial brief, opening statement
- June 24 to 25 鈥� Presentation of evidence on the part of the prosecution
- June 25 to June 26 鈥� Presentation of evidence on the part of the defense
- June 27 鈥� Rebuttal (Morning for the prosecution, afternoon for the defense)
- June 28 鈥� Oral arguments (One hour each for the defense and the prosecution)
- June 29 鈥� Closed-door meeting for senator-judges
- June 30 鈥� Rendering of judgment
Tolentino also suggested consolidating the seven articles of impeachment against Duterte into two or three.
He said this had been done before in the impeachment case of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
鈥淚f you can recall, during the Corona impeachment, there were eight articles of impeachment. It was narrowed down to three or four by the prosecution. Maybe if we narrow it down or limit our focus, the seven articles could be consolidated into two or three. Two is doable,鈥� he explained.
Escudero maintained that the Senate鈥攅ven as an impeachment court鈥攃annot dictate to the prosecutors to do that.
However, he admitted that anything is possible through a motion and a vote.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not for us to decide. Anything is possible by mere motion and by vote, but it鈥檚 no longer our decision. We cannot force the prosecution and say 鈥楬ey, because there鈥檚 only one day, can you trim it down,鈥� there鈥檚 no such thing,鈥� he said.
Escudero previously moved the reading of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte from June 2 to June 11.
According to him, the schedule change was made 鈥渢o allow the Senate to tackle priority legislative measures before the 19th Congress adjourns.鈥�
The reading of the Articles of Impeachment would allow the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and tackle the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte./mcm