House Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre says he will hold on to Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada's word that the upper chamber would fulfill its duty as far as Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial is concerned. 

This, as Acidre and his fellow House members expressed dismay with the Senate’s postponement of the presentation of the articles of impeachment against Duterte.

Worse, there are even whispers that the impeachment trial might not push through at all.

“Sinabi ng Senado na they will take it up on June 11. I think hindi lang po kami sa Kamara, kundi ang buong bansa ay aabangan po ang magiging hakbang ng Senado sa June 11,” Acidre said.

(The Senate has stated that they will take it up on June 11. I believe that it’s not just us in the House, but the entire nation will be watching the Senate’s next steps on June 11.)

Acidre said he would rely on Estrada's assurance that senators would fulfill their constitutional duty to tackle the impeachment complaint.

“Pero ako, gusto ko nalang pang-hawakan ‘yung sinabi ni Senator Jinggoy Estrada na gagampanan ng Senado ang kanilang constitutional duty na talakayin ang impeachment case na naka-file sa kanila,” Acidre said. 

(But for me, I would rather hold on to what Senator Jinggoy Estrada said that the Senate will fulfill its constitutional duty to deliberate on the impeachment case filed before them.)

The presentation of the seven articles of impeachment was originally scheduled on June 2. Then, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero announced the deferment in other to make way for the deliberation of priority bills.

Acidre says proceeding with the trial is an issue involving the integrity of the country’s democracy.

“Kasi sa totoo, hindi lang ito usapin ng pulitika, hindi lang ito usapin ng kung sino ‘yung nasasakdal, ito po ay usaping ng integridad ng ating demokrasya (Because in truth, this is neither just a political issue, nor is it merely about who is being accused. This is a matter of the integrity of our democracy).

"If we cannot, if we keep on postponing, the only option available for us to hold our public officials accountable, siguro ang kailangan natin baka anong klaseng demokrasya tayo nagiging (maybe what we need to do is to ask what kind of democracy we are turning into),” Acidre added.