MANILA, Philipines – Magpapatuloy ang impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte dahil hindi naman naglalabas ng temporary restraining order (TRO) ang Korte Suprema para ipatigil ang paglilitis, ayon kay Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.
Ang hirit para sa TROO ay naglalaman ng “Very Urgent Manifestation with Motion” na inihain ng grupo ng mga abogado sa pagsisimula ng impeachment trial laban kay Duterte sa Senado noong Lunes.
“I can’t discuss the merits of the case because it’s already before the court. But I’ve read their petition. They sought a status quo ante order and a temporary restraining order (TRO), which the Supreme Court did not grant,” sinabi ni Gatchalian sa panayam ng DZMM nitong Huwebes, Hulyo 9.
“So since those were not granted, the impeachment proceedings will continue,” dagdag pa niya.
Nang tanungin kung makakaapekto ang petisyon sa nangyayaring impeachment proceedings, sinabi ni Gatchalian na:
“We are not affected because if the Supreme Court believed that this would cause irreparable damage—meaning that if this continued, things could no longer be restored to their previous state—it would have issued a status quo ante order or a temporary restraining order,” ani Gatchalian.
“But it did not issue either. That means the Supreme Court does not see any serious harm happening,” dagdag pa.
Isa sa mga petitioner ay si Atty. Israelito Torreon, na iniuugnay sa Bise Presidente.
Sa kabila nito, sinabi ng defense counsel ni Duterte na si Michael Poa na wala silang alam sa plano ng grupo na iangat sa SC ang naturang isyu.
Partikular na kinwestyon ng mga abogado sa kanilang petisyon ang pagkakatalaga kay Sen. Francis Escudero bilang presiding officer ng impeachment court, at sinabing tanging ang Senate president lamang ang maaaring umupo sa impeachment trial maliban sa kaso ng pangulo ng Pilipinas.
“The officer presiding over the impeachment derives his claimed authority from the very June 3, 2026, proceedings whose validity is now pending before this honorable court. If those proceedings are void, then the authority of the presiding officer is necessarily placed under grave constitutional doubt,” saad ng mga petitioner. RNT/JGC
