Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday, February 11 rejected assumptions the criminal cases that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed against Vice President Sara Duterte will affect the impeachment proceedings.

Escudero thumbed down such scenario during a press briefing at the Senate hours after the NBI filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal cases of inciting to sedition and grave threats against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The cases stemmed from Duterte’s threat which she made over a live stream press conference where she said that she had already hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in case she would be killed.

“No. Walang epekto yun sa napipintong impeachment proceedings. Walang bearing yun at walang kinalaman yun dun (No. It has no effect to the upcoming impeachment proceedings. It has no bearing on it, it’s not related to the case),” Escudero said.

Moreover, the Senate leader said the impeachment proceedings and the proceedings at the DOJ can happen simultaneously.

“Sa katunayan, pwedeng magpatuloy yun, pwedeng sabay, pwedeng mauna yun, pero wala siyang bearing sa impeachment proceedings na isasagawa ng Senado (In fact, that can proceed simultaneously, or that can move first, but it has no bearing on the impeachment proceedings that the Senate will do),” he pointed out.

He also said the records of the Senate is separate from that of the case filed by the NBI before the DOJ.

“Hindi kukunin ng Senado yan (The Senate will not use that),” he said.

“Ulitin ko (Again), an impeachment court, like any court, is a passive body. Wala kaming gagawin (We will not do anything),” he added.

“Hindi ito parang imbestigasyon ng Senado na mag-i issue kami ng subpoena para sa mga ebidensya o testigo na magpunta. Trabaho yan na magkabilang panig ng prosecution at ng defense. Kung saka-sakali na hilingin yan sa korte o sa NBI, at trabaho din nilang ipresenta yan (This isn’t like the Senate investigation where we can issue subpoena for evidences or for witnesses to appear. That’s the job of both the prosecution and defense. If the court or NBI asks for these, it’s their job to present it),” he pointed out.

During both situations, Escudero said the prosecution and defense team can present the same witnesses and same pieces of object or documentary evidence.

“They can present the same witnesses. They can present the same pieces of object or documentary evidence, that is totally up to them. They also have the right should they have any basis, to oppose the presentation of these documents,” he pointed out.

Duterte had earlier denied making any death threats against the President and his wife and against Romualdez.

But last year, the vice president failed to appear before the NBI to give a statement about her Zoom press conference that was aired via different social media platforms.

Her lawyer merely delivered a letter to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, stating her denial.