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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson chides Senate impeachment spox over remarks on VP impeachment case

Lacson chides Senate impeachment spox over remarks on VP impeachment case

Published Jun 22, 2025 12:45 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator-elect Panfilo "Ping" Lacson chided the Senate impeachment court spokesperson for uttering questionable remarks on the issues surrounding the pending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday, June 22 chided the Senate impeachment court spokesperson for uttering questionable remarks on the issues surrounding the pending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Panfilo
Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)
For one, Lacson said it is only the senator-judges—and not the presiding judge of the Senate impeachment court—who can decide to refrain from making public comments regarding the impending trial.
Lacson pointed this out after impeachment court spokesman Atty. Reginald Tongol was quoted in reports as saying that senator-judges will not yet be prohibited from making such public comments.
Only the senator-judges, not the presiding officer - after agreeing among themselves, or at least a majority of them - can decide not to make public comments on issues pertaining to the impeachment case, Lacson said in his post on Twitter.
Moreover, he said Tongol's previous statement where he was quoted as saying that he would file a motion to dismiss, if I were the vice president,” is concerning.
The senator said Tongol was potentially telegraphing the moves of the defense with his statement—which House prosecution panel spokesman and lawyer Antonio Bucoy had branded as inappropriate.
Tongol was also quoted as saying that the presiding officer believes that at least for now, the discussion of the issues being presented before the court is healthy.
Tongol also added that Rule 18 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, where the presiding officer and the members of the Senate shall refrain from making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial, will be used “sparingly.”
Atty. Tongol, being the spokesman of the entire impeachment court, should not limit himself to the sentiment of the presiding officer, Lacson stressed.
Lacson also said he is ready to serve as one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of the vice president should it cross over to the 20th Congress.

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ping lacson VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial Senate impeachment proceedings Philippines 2025
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