THE timetable for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte depends on how soon the House of Representatives can comply with the summons issued by the Senate, sitting as the impeachment court.
The spokesman for the court, Reginald Tongol, said the impeachment court would reconvene on July 29, one day after the 20th Congress gathers to hear President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address.
He said the court would only release a new calendar for the trial after the House has complied with its requirements. Although the House had sent the articles of impeachment against Duterte to the Senate on Feb. 5, Senate President Francis Escudero only convened the impeachment court on June 11, a day before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die.
On that day, Escudero swore in his colleagues as senator-judges, who then voted 18-5 to send the articles of impeachment back to the House with a demand that they certify that they did not violate the constitutional provision that bars the filing of more than one complaint in a year.
The senators also required the House to certify that it would still pursue the trial in the 20th Congress, which officially started on July 1. The House has already complied with the first summons, but has yet to comply with the second.
“The convening of the impeachment court [is] hinged on the certification of the House of Representatives,” Tongol said.
“Let us just wait and see what they will submit and let the impeachment court decide on the sufficiency of their compliance or submissions,” he added.
Despite widespread criticism of foot dragging, he said that the impeachment court is “proceeding accordingly with the transparent, fair and legally sound process” regarding Duterte’s impeachment case.
“The specific certifications being required from the House are all part of the effort to guarantee procedural legitimacy and to uphold constitutional standards. This certification procedure should not be seen as traps or measures to impede,” he said.
Tongol said that these certification processes “help prevent any legal impediment or challenges or technicalities that could undermine the impeachment process once it starts rolling and to uphold the proceeding’s integrity.”
“So, the disrespect for or attempts to undermine the impeachment court processes threaten the independence and credibility of the court and jeopardizes public trust in the process itself,” he said.
“We, therefore, encourage the public and all involved parties to participate constructively and respectfully in the legal discussions without insinuating any malice on the court,” he added.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said the intention of the House to elect a new set of impeachment prosecutors for the trial should be enough “communication” that they indeed wanted to proceed with the trial. That is why a separate certification is no longer necessary, he said.
Meanwhile, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said it was too early to discuss the possibility of Speaker Martin Romualdez becoming vice president if Duterte is convicted in her impeachment trial.
Acidre said Duterte must be convicted first before any talk of her replacement may happen.
“We cannot comment on things that are not happening. Let’s convict her first then I’ll answer it after,” Acidre said in Filipino.
Under the Constitution, a president may nominate a member of the House of Representatives or Senate to replace the vice president subject to a majority confirmation vote of both chambers, voting separately, should a vacancy for the position open up.
In the same press briefing, Acidre reiterated that the House has complied in its duty in impeaching Duterte despite questions raised by the Senate.
He also said that the impeachment is a “test of accountability” and a “test of the Philippines’ political institutions,” and that the best way to move forward is to continue the process by proceeding the trial immediately to hear arguments from both sides.
