‘Biased’ senators’ inhibition on impeachment absurd, says Topacio

Attorney Ferdinand Topacio — the newly appointed spokesperson for impeachment matters for PDP-Laban — on Friday dismissed as “preposterous” calls by the advocacy group Tindig Pilipinas for certain senators to recuse themselves from the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Topacio criticized Tindig Pilipinas for airing their requests through the media, saying, “There is no such thing anywhere in the known universe as filing of motions by press release.”

He explained that such matters should be addressed through proper legal channels and further argued that following Tindig Pilipinas’s reasoning to its “absurd consequences” would cripple the impeachment court.

“If they say that those who moved for the remand of the case are ‘biased,’ then all 18 Senators who voted for the remand may also be labeled as biased,” Topacio said. He contended that demanding the recusal of all 18 senators would leave the impeachment court without a quorum, rendering it unable to either convict or acquit.

The lawyer concluded by suggesting that if perceived affiliations necessitate recusal, then senators connected to the “broad chop suey coalition” in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach the Vice President should also recuse themselves.

“That will reduce the impeachment tribunal to almost no members,” Topacio said, reiterating his view that Tindig Pilipinas’s demands are “how preposterous.”

Earlier, Tindig Pilipinas released a statement accusing “Vice President Duterte’s allies in the Senate” of attempting to “sabotage the impeachment proceedings.” The group specifically called on Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald Dela Rosa to “inhibit themselves as senator-judges when the Impeachment Court re-convenes in the 20th Congress,” citing a lack of impartiality.

Also on Friday, Malacañang responded to what it called a “seemingly never-ending thread of word war” between the country’s two highest officials, particularly on the matter of patriotism, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement that he is “pro-Philippines” and Vice President Sara Duterte is “pro-China.”

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos “holds his head high and is proud to be pro-Philippines.” She echoed Marcos’ strong remarks that the Philippines “will not yield even an inch of the Philippines.”

Castro also invoked nationalistic sentiments, saying, “A true Filipino sings the National Anthem with dignity; uttering the words, ‘Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo.’” She quoted national hero Dr. Jose Rizal’s famous saying, “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isda” — an indirect reference to Duterte’s personal message to the People’s Republic of China during their 73rd founding anniversary in 2022.

Without directly identifying the Vice President, the Palace official criticized, “What more can be said of a Filipino and a leader who admits to not loving their own country, what could their scent be? That’s all.”

Meantime, the Vice President formally responded to an order from the Office of the Ombudsman regarding cases recommended by the House of Representatives over her alleged misuse of confidential funds.