DETAINED Senator Rodante Marcoleta has made a manifestation seeking for the impeachment court to find ways to allow him and another detained, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, to take part in the ongoing trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the preliminary conference in relation to his plunder case, Marcoleta confirmed making such a manifestation to the impeachment court, maintaining that being behind bars does not mean they are no longer members of the Senate.
“Ang aking pagkakakulong dito ay hindi nanganguhulugan na hindi na ako senador. Ang pagkakakulong ko dito hindi nanganguhulugan na nabawasan ang number ng 24 na senador natin. Nananatili yan at kahit kailan hindi ‘yan ma-aalter. Pwede lang palitan ang 24 kapag may namatay, kapag may nag-resign o hindi niya nakayang tupdin ng kanyang tungkulin. Maliban sa tatlo na yan, wala na [ibang dahilan],” the lawmaker said.
("My detention here does not mean that I am no longer a senator. My detention does not reduce the number of our 24 senators. That number remains the same and cannot be altered. The only time the number of 24 can change is if a senator dies, resigns, or is unable to fulfill the duties of the office. Other than those three circumstances, there is no other reason.)
“Nalulungkot ako sapagkat hindi lang ako ang nakakulong, ang nakakulong dito ang taumbayan, yung kanilang hinahanap na katotohanan na hanggang ngayon ay hindi naibibigay sa kanila na ngayon ay nakakubli ang mga taong may kagagawan nito,” he added.
(I am saddened because it is not only me who is being imprisoned. The people are also being deprived, deprived of the truth they have been seeking, which, until now, has not been given to them because those responsible remain hidden.)
Marcoleta is currently in detention on plunder charges in relation to alleged undeclared P75 million worth of election donations, while Estrada was arrested over alleged irregularities involving flood control projects.
They are both committed to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas.
During the opening of Duterte's impeachment trial on Monday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano moved to allow detained senators Estrada and Marcoleta to monitor and participate in the proceedings through a special arrangement with the courts.
The proposal has yet to be acted upon by the impeachment court.
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment trial, maintained that 16 affirmative votes are required to secure a conviction.
Only 21 Senators are actively participating in the trial due to the absence of another Senator, Ronald dela Rosa who is in hiding over the charges before the International Criminal Court in relation to the implementation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.
Earlier, the Sandiganbayan denied Estrada's motion seeking permission to attend the impeachment trial of Duterte.
In an order, the anti-graft court said that the constitutional importance of the proceedings does not justify Estrada’s temporary release from detention.
It said the lawmaker’s request could not be treated as an emergency or compelling circumstance that would warrant temporary leave from detention.
The anti-graft court also noted that the impeachment proceedings are expected to run for an extended period, making Estrada's request incompatible with the limited exceptions allowed for detainees. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)