Statement of Malacañang on VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial
Malacañang asserted that Pres. Bongbong Marcos will not meddle with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial but he wants it to push through.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero previously claimed that there is a higher level of preparation for the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The upper chamber initially scheduled the reading of the articles of impeachment by the House of Representatives’ prosecution panel on June 2.
The following day after the presentation of the articles of impeachment, on June 3, the impeachment court was set to convene. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives last February 5.
However, the recent pronouncement of Escudero came as a surprise and spark speculations from many people. The Senate President announced that the impeachment trial proceedings of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will be moved from June 2 to 11. According to him, there are key laws that the Senate and the House have to pass before the 19th Congress ends in June 14.
Escudero also claimed that there are more than 200 presidential appointees that the Commission on Appointments have to review aside from the newly-appointed Cabinet secretaries and other government officials. He stressed that they have to make their legislative agenda in line with the pursuit of the Marcos administration to align the government with the demands of the people.
However, the postponement of the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte ignited speculations that there will be no trial. Recently, Malacañang cleared the other speculations that the halting of the trial is allegedly due to a go signal from Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Malacañang press officer Atty. Claire Castro stressed that the impeachment trial was not part of the topics discussed during the recent 8th Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.
“Hindi po, wala pong nabanggit,” Castro said.
The Malacañang official claimed that many priority measires were discussed including the Amendments to the Cooperative Code, the National Government Rightsizing Program, and the Proposed National Disease Prevention and Management Authority.
Based on the report, Atty. Claire Castro maintained that Pres. Bongbong Marcos will not meddle with the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. However, according to the Malacañang officer, the President wants the trial to push through.
“Hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo patungkol po diyan pero sinabi po niya na dapat umandar ang proseso,” she expressed.
Previously, amid the accusations that he allegedly wants the Vice President removed from office, Pres. Bongbong Marcos stressed that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial is up to the Senate.