THE House lawmakers who will serve as prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte have requested Senate President Francis Escudero to direct the latter to file her answers on the case.
In an entry with motion to issue summons filed before the Senate by House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, the prosecution team urged Escudero to ask for Duterte’s answer to the Articles of Impeachment “within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the writ of summons.”
The prosecution team cited the Rule VII of Resolution 39 dated March 23, 2022 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Trial, which states that “upon the presentation of articles of impeachment and the organization of the Senate as hereinbefore provided, a writ of summons shall be issued to the person impeached, reciting or incorporating said articles, and notifying him/her to appear before the Senate upon a day and at a place to be fixed by the Senate and named in such writ, and to file his/her answer to said articles of impeachment within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from receipt thereof; to which the prosecutors may reply within a non-extendible period of five (5) days therefrom; and to stand to and abide by the orders and judgments of the Senate.”
“Such language is significant and has been determined by the Supreme Court to relay an intention for the said rules to be 'valid from the date of their adoption until they are amended or repealed' and 'to be effective even in the next Congress,’” the document submitted to the Senate read.
“Thus, it behooves the Honorable Impeachment Court to give effect to the constitutional mandate for the instant impeachment case to ‘forthwith proceed’ and issue the writ of summons to respondent Duterte,” it added.
A total of 240 House lawmakers supported the impeachment of Duterte, which revolves around six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws.
It includes Duterte’s involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez; the malversation of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President, as well as the Department of Education (DepEd) during her time as the secretary from 2022 to 2024; and the bribery and corruption in the DepEd.
Also cited in the complaints was Duterte’s unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets, her involvement in extrajudicial killings particularly during her time as the mayor of Davao City, and for engaging in destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.
It is the first time that the second highest official of the Philippines faces an impeachment trial.
Earlier, Escudero said the impeachment trial against Duterte is “most likely” to start after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, when the new Congress already enters into its functions.
Duterte is currently at The Hague, Netherlands amid the detention of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)