Nanatili bilang Senate President si Alan Peter Cayetano sa kabila ng umuugong na balitang muling magkakaroon ng palitan ng liderato sa Senado ngayong araw, Mayo 18.Kasalukuyang tumatayo bilang presiding judge si Cayetano sa isinasagawang pag-convene ng impeachment court sa Senado para sa paglilitis ng Articles of Impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte. CESAR MORALES
MANILA, Philippines – Hiniling ng grupong Bantay Senado sa Senate Impeachment Court na buksan sa publiko ang pre-trial conference para sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte upang matiyak na may transparency.
Sa pahayag nitong Lunes ng gabi, sinabi ng Bantay Senado na nakatakda ang pre-trial conference sa June 18 na dapat ilantad sa publiko at media dahil bahagi ito kung paano tatakbo ang impeachment proceeding.
“The impeachment trial of a sitting vice president is not a private legal dispute between two parties. It is a constitutional process conducted in the name of the Filipino people,” ayon kay Bantay Senado convener at spokesperson Cleve Arguelles.
“Every stage of that process, including the pre-trial, must be conducted transparently. The public is not an optional participant to the proceedings,” dagdag niya.
Ayon sa Bantay Senador contributore at law profession Michael Tiu, may karapatan ang taumbayan na malamang kung ano ang nangyayari sa pre-trial conferenmce at kapag hindi binuksan sa publiko, maaaring lumutang ang ilang katanungan hinggil sa pangakot ng impeachment court hinggil sa transparency at katarungan.
“Impeachment trials and the information they present are matters of public concern. The public has the right to such information as matters of public concern, access to which is made more imperative by the state policy of full public disclosure,” ani Tiu.
“Closing it to the public and media without compelling constitutional justification may raise serious questions about the court’s commitment to due process and open justice. Transparency at the pre-trial stage is not incompatible with fair proceedings,” dagdag niya.
Nitong Hunho9, nagpadala ang Senate impeachment court ng notices sa lahat ng Partido ng impeachment trial na nilagdaan ni acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, na binanggit sa conference na bubuksan ito sa publiko at media upang mapagbigyan ang lahat ngpartido at kanilang abogado na malayang makapagdiskuyson sa tuntunin.
Naunang inihayag ng Senate Impeachment Court na papayagan ang lahat ng Partido sa pre-trial conference na resolbahan ang mga sumusunod na bagay bago simulan ang aktuwal na paglilitis:
1. Stipulation of facts and simplification of issues
2. Marking of documentary or real evidence and waiver of objections or admissions on evidence
3. Number and identification of witnesses
4. Setting of trial dates
5. The proposed sequence for the presentation of evidence and possible modification of the order of trial
6. Such other matters as will promote a fair and expeditious trial of the case
Noong nakaraang Hunyo 10, tinanong si lead public prosecutor at Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro kung normal lamang sa pre-trial conference tulad ng konsteksto ng kasong kriminal na isara ito sa media at publiko.
Ayon kay Luistrio, walang hindi pangkaraniwan hinggil sa desisyon ng Senate Impeachment Court saka idinagdag na dati, imbitago ang lahat ng Partido sa kaso sa pre-trial conference dahil masyadong mahabang oras ang nauubos sa kanilang proceedings.
Kaya’t sinabi ni Luistro, hihingi sila ng paglilinaw sa Senate sa pamamagitan ng Office of the House Secretary General, hindi papayaganang media sa pagkober ng naturang conference.
“We will seek clarification not through a letter but by asking the House counterpart to reach out to the Senate counterpart on whether the media will indeed not be allowed during the pre-trial conference,” aniya.
Sinabi naman ng Bantay Senado na wala silang kinikilingan sa impeachment case pero mas makabubuti na isapubliko ang lahat.
“Bantay Senado takes no position on the merits of the case against Vice President Duterte, nor does it side with either the prosecution or the defense. But we take note that some members of the prosecution express preference for an open and public pre-trial conference. We firmly support this position,” ayon sa grupo.
Nasakdal sa impeachment si Duterte noong Mayo 11 matapos pumabog ang 257 mambabatas na pagtibayin ang House Resolution (HR) No. 989, na naglalaman ng Articles of Impeachment. Tanging 25 miyembro ang tumanggi sa resolusyon at siyam ang hindi bomoto.
Kabilang sa alegasyon nakatakda sa dalawang complaints na tinalakay ng House justice committee ang mga sumusunod:
1. Culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust through the systematic liquidation, misuse, misappropriation, and irregular use of confidential funds amounting to P500 million under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million under the Department of Education (DepEd)
2. Culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust when Duterte amassed unexplained wealth manifestly disproportionate to her lawful income and earnings during her incumbency as a public official
3. Bribery, graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust when she gave monetary gifts or payments to DepEd officials to induce the violation and circumvention of procurement and other related laws
4. Culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust by contracting for the assassination of the President, the First Lady, and the former speaker of the House, by making grave threats, and by actively inciting sedition against the republic. Ernie Reyes
