Senate Minority Makes Move So SP Chiz Escudero Can Take Oath over Duterte Impeachment Trial
CHIZ ESCUDERO – The Senate President took his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The impeachment proceedings against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte were rescheduled. From the initial schedule of June 2, the reading of the articles of impeachment by the House of Representatives’ prosecution team was moved to June 11.
According to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, the Senate and the House will prioritize their legislative agenda. He stressed that they still have several measures to pass before the 19th Congress adjourns.
However, a lot of Filipinos were disappointed by the rescheduling of the trial. It even sparked speculations of a “no trial scenario”. Several groups protested outside the Senate building as they called for the immediate start of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The Akbayan and several civil society groups are set to conduct a 3-day protest as they call for the upper chamber to start the impeachment trial against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Amid the calls, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros issued a statement saying that the Senate Minority will take a move on Monday.
According to Hontiveros, she cannot allow that the Senate would be the first not to follow the Constitution. She also stressed that they will move so Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero can take his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment trial.
On Monday night, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero took his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment trial against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on GMA News, the Senate also adopted the motion of Sen. Joel Villanueva that the rest of the senators will take their oath as senator-judges in the impeachment trial.
Furthermore, Villanueva’s motion that the impeachment court would be constituted but not yet convened after the taking of the oath was approved. Based on the report, the upper chamber has unanimously voted to refer the verified impeachment complaints against the Vice President to the committee on rules.
Both Senate Minority leader Koko Pimentel and Sen. Risa Hontiveros highlighted the important of starting the trial with the latter citing that the trial must be started by the chamber “forthwith and with no further delay”.
“I am here before you to also appeal to the deeper purpose of the law. And the spirit of the impeachment power is unmistakable: it is accountability. It is to ensure that no public officer, however powerful, is above the Constitution,” she said.
Amid the issue, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero previously claimed he won’t listen to those who rush for the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.