MANILA, Philippines – Dapat magpakita ng tapang si Senador Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa at dumalo sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa Senado, ayon kay House lead prosecutor at Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro nitong Biyernes, Mayo 29.
Ang posisyong ito ni Luistro ay nang tanungin kung dapat payagan ang online voting sa impeachment trial at lahat ng iba pang pagdinig sa Senado na isinusulong ng mga kaalyado ni Dela Rosa sa Senado.
“This discussion [on proposed online voting] originated from the case of Senator Bato. To be very specific, this is my answer that: If Senator Bato risked his liberty when he voted for the change of leadership, remember, he must be able to show more courage in risking his liberty as well in responding to the Constitution and that is by being present during the impeachment trial,” sinabi ni Luistro sa panayam ng DZBB.
Matatandaan na makalipas ang anim na buwang pagliban ay muling nagpakita si Dela Rosa sa Senado noong Mayo 11 para bumoto at iluklok si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano bilang bagong Senate President.
Sa kapareho ring araw na ito ay tinakasan ni Dela Rosa ang mga ahente ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sa loob ng Senado at kinumpirma naman ng ICC na mayroong inisyung arrest warrant laban sa senador.
Ilang araw lamang matapos nito ay nagkaroon ng shooting incident sa Senado na sinundan naman ng biglang pag-alis ni Dela Rosa sa bisinidad ng Senado.
Samantala, Martes ng gabi ay nag-walk out ang mga miyembro ng bagong Senate minority matapos na ipakilala ng mayorya ang mosyon na nagbibigay-daan sa mga senador na makaboto at makalahok sa sesyon remotely.
Ayon sa minorya, ito ay paglabag sa Rules of the Senate, at ang naturang hakbang ay makikinabang lamang si Dela Rosa at iba pang senador na maaaring makulong sa hinaharap.
“It is important that the Senator judges must personally witness the presentation of evidence because the demeanor of the witnesses are very important,” ani Luistro.
“It is only by way of observing the demeanor of the witnesses that you can honestly say, totoo ba o hindi ang sinasabi niya,” dagdag ni Luistro.
Anang mambabatas, ang personal na pagpapakita para bumoto sa impeachment trial ay constitutional duty ni Dela Rosa sa mga taong bumoto sa kanya.
“After the presentation of this witness, the more reason that he should be present in casting his vote because this is his constitutional duty to the Filipino people. Remember this is a sovereign power that was given to the Filipino people and we are the prosecutors merely representing them in the discharge of this function,” sinabi ni Luistro.
“This is a very solemn, a very sacred process that all public officials whether they are Senator-judges or prosecutors must be personally present,” dagdag pa niya.
“The Senate rules on impeachment is clear: Only during force majeure (Act of God) and national emergency that online voting must be allowed, and this happened during COVID-19.”
Ganito rin ang posisyon ng mga senador ng minorya na ang Senate ay pinayagan lamang sa virtual sessions noong COVID-19 pandemic. RNT/JGC
