Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano Prays for Fairness, Political Neutrality, and Due Process in Duterte’s Impeachment Trial
ALAN PETER CAYETANO – The Senate Minority Leader led the opening prayer for the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
Today, the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was held. Both the members of the prosecution and the defense attended the trial. The Vice President appeared at the Senate but not to attend the trial.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was at the Senate after noon time for a meeting with her legal team. She also appeared before the press but she refused to answer questions as per the advice of her lawyer, Atty. Michael Poa. The Vice President gave a short message.
“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” Duterte said.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is faced with several allegations. Four (4) impeachment complaints were previously filed against her before the House of Representatives. The House Justice Committee found two (2) of them substantial in form, substance, and grounds.
Here are some of the grounds raised against Vice Pres. Duterte:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
The impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte started on Monday. Sen. Chiz Escudero was elected as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court. Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and the rest of the minority bloc were against the said election.
The minority bloc believes that it should be Senate Pres. Sherwin Gatchalian who should act as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court. According to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the election of Escudero is allegedly unconstitutional.
On the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte today, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano led the opening prayer. Based on News5, he prayed for fairness, political neutrality, and due process.
“Help us to be faithful with the constitution, Senate rules, the rules of the impeachment, to the rules of fairness,” Cayetano said based on the post.
Also, Cayetano prayed that while they disagree on many things, he prays that they agree on God’s “love, grace and mercy upon the nation”.
Previously, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that even if he will be chosen to be the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court, he will not accept the role.