Sen. Risa Hontiveros Issues Statement on Impeachment Trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte
RISA HONTIVEROS – The Senator revealed that the Senate Minority plans to take a move on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero previously announced a change in the schedule of the impeachment process against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Instead of June 2, the reading of the articles of impeachment was moved to June 11.
Initially, the presentation of the articles of impeachment by the House of Representatives’ prosecution team was set on June 2 and it will be followed by the convention of the impeachment court on June 3. However, according to Escudero, they will prioritize their legislative agenda.
The said rescheduling gained different reactions from the people. Presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos asked why the impeachment process against Duterte is being moved and moved. She also claimed that it must be accepted that the impeachment moves allegedly lost already.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez called for respect on the decision of Escudero regarding Duterte’s impeachment process. The Senate President claimed that they will prioritize the passing of measures before the 19th Congress ends.
However, the decision of Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero did not sit well with many people including civil society groups, universities, and religious groups. Several groups even protest at the Senate now as they call for the immediate start of Duterte’s impeachment process.
Recently, amid the calls to start the impeachment process against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Sen. Risa Hontiveros bared the plan of the Senate Minority. Together with Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, she’s one of the senators who called for the immediate start of the trial.
In a statement that was recently-released, Sen. Risa Hontiveros stressed that she won’t allow that the Senate would be the first to disobey the Constitution. Based on a post on ABS-CBN News, the Senate Minority has planned to take a move over the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte today.
“We in the Senate Minority will formally move to commence the opening rites in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and I will move to allow Senate President Francis Escudero to take his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, and to administer the prescribed oath to all members of the Senate as judges of the impeachment court,” Hontiveros said.
According to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, they will also move so the impeachment court can convene as well as the formal presentation of the Articles of Impeachment transmitted by the House in February. Based on the post, she believes that the opening rites will not take much time.
“So let’s not pretend an hour is too much to ask… We may only have three days, but three days is not nothing,” the Senator said.
Previously, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero claimed no one was favored in the postponement of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment process.