By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter
SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino L. Pimentel III on Thursday urged the Senate president to call for a caucus where they could explain their stance on the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“I will request a caucus so that he (Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero) can explain his position to the senators and so that he can also give me time to explain my position,” he told a news briefing.
The House of Representatives on Feb. 5 impeached Ms. Duterte on charges of violating the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption and other high crimes.
More than 200 congressmen filed and signed the impeachment complaint against Ms. Duterte, more than the one-third vote required by the Constitution for her to be charged.
The ouster charges consisted of seven articles of impeachment, including allegations of plotting the assassination of the President, misusing secret funds, amassing unexplained wealth and committing acts of destabilization.
Mr. Pimentel said he would also send a letter to the Senate president urging the Senate to act on the impeachment trial.
“The content of my second letter will show the constitutional provisions and the rules of impeachment, and our conclusion that the Senate as a legislative body does not need to be in session to act,” he added.
Mr. Escudero earlier said the Senate could not convene as an impeachment court while it is on recess, adding that they might hold the trial by July.
Mr. Pimentel earlier wrote the Senate President a letter asking him to start the impeachment proceedings immediately, saying the 1987 Constitution mandates the Senate to promptly start the proceedings.
He said the trial should “hopefully” start by March.
“The Senate president has already prepared and has already ordered the review of the impeachment rules,” he said. “When the court goes in session, we will take the oath. We will affirm the existing rules so that there will be no issue on whether or not these are valid.”
Congress went on a four-month break starting Feb. 5 for the 2025 midterm elections. It reconvenes for a two-week session on June 2.
Meanwhile, Howard M. Calleja, a lawyer and co-convenor of multisectoral group 1Sambayan, accused Mr. Escudero of delaying the impeachment trial of Ms. Duterte.
“We were fooled by (Mr. Escudero),” he said in a statement. “Here he is trying to foist on us a scenario calculated to kill the impeachment of Duterte. Chiz would not do this without benefiting himself.”
He accused the Senate chief of ending the session two days early to delay the impeachment trial.
“Why that unconstitutional rush? Who benefited from (Mr. Escudero’s) premature adjournment?” he asked. “Definitely, (the Vice-President) because there would be a lot of legal questions that could potentially kill the impeachment complaint under the 20th Congress.”
Mr. Calleja implied that Mr. Escudero was eyeing the presidency in 2028.
The Senate president’s office did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.
