MANILA, Philippines – Naglabas ng saloobin si House of Representatives prosecution team member at Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua sa pagbalik ng Senado sa impeachment articles, at sinabing tila paraan ito upang harangin ang demokrasya ng bansa.
Sa panayam nitong Miyerkules, Hunyo 11, bago ang ecumenical prayer para sa mga prosecutor, sinabi ni Chua na nalungkot siya sa pangyayari sa Senado.
“As of now, we have not discussed our next steps, but it is saddening because what the Senate did was a clear violation of our Constitution,” ani Chua.
“It’s saddening because the rules on impeachment, which they themselves crafted, were clear that they should act impartially or neutrally. But now it seems they are blocking democracy in the country,” dagdag pa.
Nagbigay ng kaparehong sentimyento si Chua sa sinabi ni human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, na kumikwestyon kung ang mga hurado ba ay pinapayagang gumawa ng mosyon dahil wala umanong kasalukuyang mekanismo na pumapayag para rito.
“It is not the mandate of senators to file motions and decide on these kinds of motions, and in fact this is the duty of the defense, the counsel of the defense panel,” sinabi pa ni Chua.
“That’s why it seems they are lawyering for our vice president,” dagdag ng solon.
Nitong Martes ng gabi, Hunyo 10, ay bumoto ang 18 senator-judges pabor sa mosyon ni Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano, na ibalik ang articles of impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte sa Kamara upang siguruhin ang constitutional safeguards at ang isyu ng hurisdiksyon dito ay hindi nalabag.
Ang desisyon para i-remand ang articles of impeachment ay nag-ugat sa mosyon ni Senator-Judge Ronald dela Rosa, na inamyendahan ni Cayetano.
Lima lamang sa 23-person impeachment court ang tumutol sa mosyon. RNT/JGC
