MANILA, Philippines- Malaki ang paniniwala ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III na maaaring hindi patulan ng Supreme Court ang umiinit na sigalot sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte na isasagawa ng 20th Congress kahit nasimulan ang pagbasa sa 19th Congress.
“Pwedeng maakyat pero hindi pa ngayon. Premature pa. Pero no assurance na patulan ng SC ang issue because the issue has great portion as political in nature,” ayon kay Pimentel.
Sa ginanap na plenaryo nitong Lunes, June 2, binanggit ni Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros ang impeachment trial kay dating United States President Bill Clinton.
“The impeachment of President Clinton was presented to the Senate after the Senate had adjourned Sine die. After, Mr. President, the Senate had adjourned Sine die for the 105th Congress. And the Senate conducted the trial in the 106th Congress, Mr. President,” aniya.
Inimpeach si Clinton ng US House of Representatives noong Dec. 1998, sa 105th Congress. Pero, nagsimula ang impeachment trial sa Senado sa 106th Congress, mula Enero hanggang Pebrero 1999.
“And with one very recent concrete example po dun sa impeachment ni US President Clinton. So I hope that we can consider this in our own decision-making, Mr. President, even after the rescheduled presentation by the House prosecutors to the Senate as an impeachment court on 11th June,” dagdag niya.
Iginiit ni Senator Francis Tolentino na hindi pwedeng tumawid ang impeachment trial sa susunod na Kongreso dahil walang quorum ang Senado sa panahon ng congressional transitions dahil “only 12 senators will remain after each election.”
“If we cannot conclude the trial before June 30, 2025, we must recognize this impeachment case is functionally dismissed by constitutional operation and no action can be taken by the 20th Congress on the matter for lack of constitutional authority,” giit niya.
Sakaling matuloy ang impeachment trial sa 20th Congress, hindi na makakalahok si Tolentino dahil natalo ito sa nakaraang halalan.
“But be that as it may, Mr. President, we have all the discussions done and I think this would really be part not just of the discussions that whatever case would be elevated to the Supreme Court would eventually be decided in the near term,” ani Tolentino.
Binanggit naman ni Pimentel na hindi nakatala sa Saligang Batas na maaari o hindi makatawid ang impeachment trial sa susunod na Kongreso.
“Mr. President, I will respond directly to the question. Wala po nakasulat doon that it shall carryover. Pero binanggit ko sa aking manifestation, wala talaga rin nakasulat doon that it cannot cross over. So in effect, let us say textually, both positions are not even mentioned or entertained in the Constitution,” ani Pimentel.
Hinamon naman ni Pimentel si Escudero sa paglilipat ng timetable sa impeachment nang hindi inaaprubahan ng plenaryo.
“Article 1 of the impeachment rules which says that the Senate President can set the date for the presentation of the articles of impeachment. Mention was made specifically of the Senate President. And also we were on recess. So the Senate President at that time, Your Honor, issued a suggested calendar of activities. I was very clear when I stated that. Subject to plenary approval when we resume because you were already on recess at that time,” ayon kay Escudero.
Base kay Escudero, babasahin ang Articles of Impeachment sa Hunyo 11 maliban na lamang kung magdedesisyon ang plenaryo hinggil dito. Ernie Reyes
