Senate might ‘use’ SC to again delay impeach trial, Atom warns
The Senate may create additional delay to Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, this time “using” the Supreme Court, a civil society group warned Friday.
This could further delay the trial, already behind by five months, with senators also split on whether to convene right after the 20th Congress formally opens on July 28 or a week later.
“It’s very clear that the Constitution has been consistently ignored over the past several months by the Senate, and now that the Supreme Court is in the picture, there is fear from not a few Filipinos that another reason for delay will again be cited by Senator Chiz [Escudero],” the August Twenty-One Movement (Atom) said in a statement on Facebook.
“I hope we are wrong, but our suspicion is that with the many reasons Senate President Chiz gave to delay the ‘forthwith’ or immediate start of the impeachment trial, the Supreme Court may be used as a new reason by the Senate to delay it again,” it also said.
Atom urged Filipinos to speak up and join peaceful mobilizations about the issue and called for the trial to commence as soon as possible.
It also said it trusted that the high court will “rise above all these Senate delays and help our country to get back on course,” and called on the justices to follow the Constitution.
Proceed forthwith
In a July 8 resolution, the Court directed both the House of Representatives and the Senate to provide more details about the case, including who drafted the articles of impeachment, whether House members had sufficient time to review the charges, and when they were circulated to senators.
On Friday, two new senator-judges said there should no longer be a delay in the trial.
“The earliest possible time we can convene, the better, because the Constitution is quite clear that upon receipt of the complaint, trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed,” Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said in a statement on Friday.
In a separate statement also on Friday, Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said: “As long as they start it at the soonest possible time because they have delayed it considerably.”
Sen. Joel Villanueva on Wednesday said four to six senators had informally talked with Escudero to start the trial on Aug. 4, to give the chamber time to decide its leadership, chairperson roles, and address housekeeping concerns.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the chamber should discuss and vote on the matter in plenary.
“Whatever the majority of the 24 senators will decide, we should follow—but not without manifesting or explaining our votes, if some of us would choose to,” Lacson said.
Not a suggestion
On Thursday, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman University Council called on the Senate to “do [its] duty” and proceed “without delay” with Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“Under the Constitution, once the House of Representatives has approved the Articles of Impeachment, the Senate must begin the trial without delay. This is not just a suggestion; it is a duty. The Constitution uses the word ‘forthwith,’ meaning immediately,” the council said in their statement, dated June 30 and released on July 17.
The UP Diliman University Council is the campus’ highest academic body, led by law professor and Chancellor Edgardo Vistan II and composed of all its faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor or higher. UP President Angelo Jimenez is an ex-officio member of the council.
“We are dismayed at the naked attempts to slow down and even completely derail the impeachment trial,” it said, adding that “the Senate decision to return the impeachment to Congress sets a dangerous precedent.”
Public’s right
Quoting a recent national survey conducted May 2-6, the council noted that most Filipinos want Duterte to respond to the charges and be given the opportunity to clear her name in a Senate trial.
“This goes against what the Constitution prescribes and what the Filipino people deserve: truth, transparency, and accountability. Ignoring the Congressional impeachment of VP Duterte sends a message that powerful leaders are above scrutiny,” the council said.
Duterte is accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes—particularly her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds. She was impeached by the House in February.
The Senate initially convened as an impeachment court on June 10 but remanded the articles of impeachment to the House. —WITH A REPORT FROM RENZ PALALIMPA
