VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to begin after SONA – Escudero
Senate President Francis Escudero (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is set to begin after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address, Senate President Francis Escudero said.
Escudero confirmed this in a press conference on Monday when he was asked when the “actual impeachment trial” against the country’s second-top leader would begin.
“Most likely when the new Congress already enters into its functions — after Sona. Sona, I think it is on July 21. So [the] trial will commence after that day,” he told reporters.
Earlier, Marcos said that he would willingly call a special session of the Senate to tackle the impeachment of Duterte if the upper chamber asked for it.
But Escudero, in the same presser, said he has no intentions of requesting for a special session, maintaining that “it is not one of the reasons” to call for such a thing.
“Dagdag pa rito, sino pa ang may gusto na mag special session kami at mag trial kami bago mag election? Sino ba ang humihiling nun? Sino? Hindi, sino nga? Yung pro. Sabi ko na, sinumang pro or anti VP Sara hindi namin papakinggan,” said Escudero.
(Apart from this, who else is calling for a special session, urging us to conduct the trials before the election? Who is asking for it? Who? Those who are pro-impeachment or anyone against the impeachment of the Vice President will not be considered and heard.)
He likewise argued that previous impeachment complaints that reached the Senate were tackled thoroughly, and wondered why there’s a need to alter that practice.
“Bakit ko iibahin ang pagtrato dito sa impeachment complaint na ito? Hindi ito espesyal. Hindi ito kakaiba. Ang tingin dapat namin dito ordinaryong impeachment complaint lamang laban sa isang impeachable officer,” said Escudero.
(Why would we change our treatment to this impeachment complaint? This is not special. This is not different. We only consider this an ordinary impeachment complaint against an impeachable officer.)
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