Two House-designated prosecutors in the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte believe that its downright against the 1987 Constitution for the Senate not to push through with the impeachment trial.
Sharing this opinion were Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor and incoming Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima.
"Ang hindi pag pa tuloy ng impeachment trial ay labag sa Konstitusyon at pag talikod sa nais ng taong bayan (The discontinuation of the impeachment trial is against the Constitution and a betrayal of the people's will)," Defensor told House reporters on Tuesday, June 3.
"It is abandonment of the Senate's duty to exact accountability and sets a bad example to the young and future leaders of our country," added the deputy majority leader in the 19th Congress.
De Lima, a former senator and Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary, echoed this sentiment.
“That has always been my position that is very violating of what the Constitution says," De Lima said when asked about the possibility of the Senate not holding any impeachment trial at all.
Based on the Constitution, the Senate impeachment trial must be held "forthwith" after the House of Representatives transmits the articles of impeachment. The lower chamber accomplished this last Feb. 5.
"Forthwith is forthwith. Nakailang beses na yang nade-delay. Ilang beses na yang napo-postpone. Hindi puwedeng nagtuturuan ang House of Representatives and the Senate…but what is clear is nandoon sa Constitution," De Lima said
(It has been delayed multiple times. It has been postponed several times. The House of Representatives and the Senate cannot keep passing the blame… but what is clear is that the Constitution lays it out.)
"Para sa akin impeachment trial at this stage and the convening on the impeachment accord and also proceeding with the impeachment trial is not optional (For me, at this stage, the impeachment trial, the convening of the impeachment accord, and proceeding with the trial are not optional)," she pointed out.
In a press conference Monday, June 3, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said the senators in the upcoming 20th Congress could decide not to hold Vice President Duterte's impeachment trial at all due to technicality.
The impeachment case against Duterte only prospered during the tail end of the 19th Congress.