Lawmakers: VP Duterte SC bid an evasion of accountability

After hearing about the petition of Vice President Sara Duterte to the Supreme Court to suspend the impeachment proceedings against her, many lawmakers claimed that she was merely trying to escape accountability from accusations.

This Wednesday morning, House Committee on Justice members Perci Cendana, Leila de Lima, and solons from the Makabayan bloc took hits at Duterte for what they said was an attempt at hiding from the truth.

Cendana, who was previously seen during a Justice panel hearing bringing items that mocked the existence of ‘Mary Grace Piattos’, said that the vice president lacked the guts to confront evidence.

“Ang VP Sara na gipit, sa Supreme Court kumakapit. Confirmed, wala talaga siyang balak harapin ang mga kaso laban sa kanya. Palibhasa takot sa katotohanan kaya pilit na pinipigil lumabas ang ebidensya,” he stressed.

(When VP Sara feels pressure, she runs to the Supreme Court. It’s confirmed, she has no intent of facing the cases against her. She’s scared of the truth that’s why she’s trying to keep the evidence from coming out)

De Lima, on the other hand, took a play on words from the SC acronym–stating that Duterte probably thought that it meant “Sara’s Court” with how she habitually took to the high court whenever she gets questioned about her actions.

“Akala siguro nila yung SC ay ‘Sara’s Court’ na pwede nila laging takbuhan para pagtakpan ang kaduwagan at pagtakas sa pananagutan,” her post read.

(Maybe they thought that SC meant ‘Sara’s Court’ with how she continues to run to them to cover up her cowardice and escape from responsibility)

Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc maintained that Duterte was merely trying to “derail” the proceedings that were anchored on the provisions mandated in the Constitution.

The solons urged the high court to be impartial in its pending ruling on the matter as the Justice panel was merely exercising its entrusted authority to screen impeachment complaints.

“We remain committed to an impeachment process that is transparent, rules-based, and anchored on the people’s demand for genuine public accountability,” they emphasized in a statement.

Foreseen Development

During an interview with a radio program on the same day, Justice panel Chairperson and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro claimed that she did not find Duterte’s recent actions as surprising.

Luistro stated that they would proceed with all their scheduled hearings barring a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court.

“Well this is not a surprise for us, ito anticipated talaga natin, ang sabi ko nga, ‘At every stage or any stage of the proceeding there is always the possibility of the petitioner questioning the proceeding of the Justice committee,” she said.

(Well this is not a surprise for us, we have anticipated this, like I said, ‘At every stage or any stage of the proceeding there is always the possibility of the petitioner questioning the proceeding of the Justice committee)