MANILA, Philippines – Maaaring i-cite for contempt at patawan ng kaukulang parusa ang mga saksi na ginagawang katatawanan ang Senado bilang Impeachment Court na dumidinig sa kasong impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, paalala ni Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes, Nobyembre 10.
Ibinigay ni Lacson ang paalalang ito matapos niyang punahin ang asal ni Davao City Assessor Engineer Jaime Adalin, na aniya ay ngumingisi at tumatawa, at halos ginawa nang katatawanan ang paglilitis sa impeachment nang humarap ito bilang saksi nitong Lunes.
“Yesterday was not a good day for the Impeachment Court, Mr. Presiding Officer, simply because we had a witness who smirked, who laughed, almost made a mockery of the impeachment trial. And we don’t want to have a repeat of that kind of testimony,” aniya.
Si Adalin, ang unang saksi na iniharap ng depensa, ay pinuna rin ng ilang senator-judges nitong Lunes dahil sa pabago-bago niyang mga sagot.
Binanggit ni Lacson ang Rule V ng Resolution No. 39, ang Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials na pinagtibay ng Senado noong Marso 2011 bago ang paglilitis sa impeachment case laban sa yumaong dating Chief Justice Renato Corona. Tahasang ipinagkakaloob ng naturang tuntunin sa impeachment court ang kapangyarihang magparusa sa contempt.
Sa ilalim ng tuntunin, may kapangyarihan ang Senate Impeachment Court na “… punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders, mandates, writs, or judgments, and to make all lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential or conducive to the ends of justice.”
“So just a reminder to everyone that this is not an implied power of the Impeachment Court, Mr. Presiding Officer, but an express power granted by such resolution,” ani Lacson.
Sinuportahan din ni Lacson ang mosyon ni kapwa Senator-Judge Vicente Sotto III na may “penalties and sanctions against those who lie before the Impeachment Court.”
“Will you please refresh my memory on this matter so that the witnesses and the prosecution and the defense will be reminded as well?” ani Sotto.
Kinumpirma naman ni Presiding Officer Francis Escudero na maaaring i-cite for contempt ang mga saksi na nagpapakita ng asal na nagpapakita ng kawalang-galang sa hukuman at maaari rin silang maharap sa kasong perjury, “because the statements given by any witness (are) under oath and covered by our laws on perjury as well.” Ernie Reyes
