4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan (PPAB)

The House impeachment prosecution panel did not intend to pressure the Senate when it filed a motion that involved action on the impeached Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, March 25.

Lead prosecutor 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan made this clarification, and said that the prosecution was merely doing its job.

“We are not pressuring (the Senate), we are doing our job. Sabi ko nga kanina, gusto rin namin mangampanya pero kami naman ang magkakaroon ng culpable violation of the Constitution ‘pag hindi namin ginawa ang aming tungkulin,” Libanan said in a press conference.

(Like what I said earlier, we also want to campaign but we will be the ones committing culpanle violation of the Constitution if we didn't perform our responsibility.)

The veteran congressman was referring to the ongoing campaign period for the May 12 mid-term elections. The campaign coincides with the legislative recess.

Libanan noted that the Senate was still conducting business during its break. 

“Sinasabi nila baka hindi sila makapagtrabaho dahil break na ‘yung Senado. Pero apparently, nagkaroon po sila ng hearing last Thursday noong committee ni Senadora Imee [Marcos]. Ibig sabihin, nagtatrabaho pa rin po ang Senado,” he noted.

(They're saying that they may not be able to work because Senate is on break. But apparently, last Thursday, Senator Imee Marcos' committee held a hearing. This means that Senate can still work.)

The prosecution team filed the Entry with Motion to Issue Summons to compel Vice President Duterte to respond to the articles of impeachment filed against her by the House of Representatives last Feb. 5.

Libanan said their filings are “in accordance with their rules of procedure sa impeachment proceedings [of the Senate]".

"Pag mayroong i-file ay within 10 days bibigyan ng pagkakataon ang officer who is being sought to be impeached to answer in a period of 10 days (In case of a filing, the officer who is being sought to be impeached up is given 10 days to answer)."

Vice President Duterte is in the Netherlands. Her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, is being detained and tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.