MANILA, Philippines – Walang sapat na basehan ang oposisyon para harangin ang Senado na mag-convene bilang impeachment court para litisin si Vice President Sara Duterte, sinabi ni House Committee on Justice chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro nitong Sabado, Mayo 9.
Ang pahayag ay kasunod ng sinabi ni Sen. Robin Padilla na haharangin ng Senate minority bloc ang pag-convene bilang impeachment court kung ipapasa ng Kamara ang Articles of Impeachment laban kay Duterte para sa paglilitis.
“We respect Senator Robin Padilla. But in the absence of reason, of basis why the impeachment court should not be convened, I think it will be very difficult to understand why they will move not to convene. They should first lay down the reason,” ani Luistro.
Inaasahang tatalakayin ng plenaryo ng Kamara ang committee report at Articles of Impeachment laban kay Duterte bukas, Mayo 11 matapos na makitaan ng probable cause ng Committee on Justice ang mga reklamo at inaprubahan ang impeachment report para sa floor deliberations.
Ang impeachment report ay naglalaman ng findings para sa umano’y misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, at banta laban kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at dating Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Ani Luistro, kahit ang Korte Suprema ay hindi pinahinto ang impeachment proceedings sa kabila ng ilang petisyon na humahamon sa proseso ng Kamara.
“Even the Supreme Court, to this date, they’re not issuing a TRO (temporary restraining order), they’re not issuing an injunction,” anang mambabatas.
Mahirap unawain ang mga argumento ng mga senador na sila ay pipigil sa impeachment trial dahil lamang sa sila ay nasa oposisyon.
“Because his reason that just because they are opposition, they will be going against convening the impeachment court or going against the impeachment. That’s very difficult to understand,” sinabi ni Luistro.
“This is a political exercise. What is at stake is the best interest of the sovereign Filipino people,” dagdag pa niya.
Kalaunan ay nilinaw ni Luistro na bagamat nirerespeto niya si Padilla, ang anumang hakbang para ipatigil ang impeachment court ay dapat na naka-angkla sa legal o constitutional grounds sa halip na political alignment.
“I respect Senator Robin but his statement is quite difficult to understand,” ani Luistro.
“In the absence of reason or basis, why should we not proceed to convening the impeachment court?” dagdag niya. RNT/JGC
