Makabayan lawmakers on Wednesday, June 4, reminded senators that it was their duty to proceed with Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial amid rumors that they were eyeing its "de facto dismissal".
Makabayan tells senators: It's your duty to proceed with impeachment trial
Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Arlene Brosas gave a strongly-worded remark after learning of a rumored plan by some senators to file a resolution for the dismissal of Duterte's impeachment raps.
"Napakagarapal naman na gawin yan ng Senado sa ngayon, dahil alam naman natin na ang panawagan (It is so brazen for the Senate to do that now, because we know that there are already calls)... put the Vice President on trial," Brosas said in an interview with reporters.
Brosas said the Senate should not dilly-dally about the impeachment complaint so people would really know the details behind the allegations through an actual trial.
"'Yung senado mukhang marami syang tinitimbang. Even ang leadership siguro ng Senate is in question kaya siguro nagkakaganyan, pero (It seems like the Senate weighing a lot of things. Even the Senate leadership is in question, that probably explains it but) we go beyond that sa usapin ng (on the topic of) public accountability," she added.
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel then reminded the senators that "part of assuming their position is tackling any articles of impeachment that land on them".
Manuel said senators should not, in the first place, take their seat if they do not want to perform this task.
"In the first place, kung di pala sila hanada... ba't nila kinuha yung position, bakit sila tumakbo, bakit sila umupo? (If they are not ready, then why did they take their position? Why did they run? Why did they take the seat?)" he asked.
"They have to review their functions and their mandate, kasi di pwedeng mamimili sila aling functions lang ang kanilang gagampanan, based lang kung ano yung convenient sa kanila (they cannot choose which functions to do just based on what's convenient for them)," he added.