MANILA, Philippines – Nanindigan ang mga miyembro ng House Committee on Justice na binigyan ng higit pa sa sapat na pagkakataon at due process si Vice President Sara Duterte upang sagutin ang mga reklamong impeachment laban sa kanya.
Ito ang naging sentro ng diskusyon ng panel bago ang ginawang botohan para sa pagtukoy ng probable cause.
Ayon kay House Committee on Justice Chairman Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro,, simula pa lamang ng proseso ay sinunod na nila ang lahat ng legal na hakbang at paulit-ulit na pinatawag si Duterte sa bawat yugto ng presentasyon ng ebidensya.
“I just want to state for the record that since Day One of our impeachment proceedings, that is determination of sufficiency in form, followed by substance and then grounds, and in our hearings today, we’ve been calling the Vice President every after presentation of evidence per ground,” ani Luistro.
“So, in as far as compliance to due process is concerned, I think we have surpassed so much whatever standard of due process is being required” dagdag pa nito.
Sinegundahan ito ni Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, na nagsabing hindi maituturing na paglabag sa due process ang hindi pagpapakita ni Duterte dahil binigyan ito ng lahat ng abiso at kopya ng mga dokumento.
“The Supreme Court has explained that there is no denial of due process when a party is afforded the right to rebut the evidence against him or her but fails to exercise the same. What matters is that the opportunity to present his or her side of the case is given. If for reasons best known only to himself or herself, a party does not avail of his right to do so, then he has only himself or herself to blame,” paliwanag ni De Lima.
Para naman kay Manila Rep. Benny Abante naging masyadong maluwag at magalang ang komite kay Duterte dahil hindi ginamit ang kapangyarihan ng subpoena o contempt. Gail Mendoza
