Complainant hopes Senate weighs evidence in VP impeachment trial

With the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte poised for transmittal to the Senate, one of the complainants expressed hope that senators would be guided by evidence in deciding the case.

Father Joel Saballa, one of the convenors of the third impeachment complaint, said he expects political pressure to play a role in the proceedings.

However, Saballa said he hopes senator-judges will base their decision on evidence presented and uncovered during the recent hearings of the House Committee on Justice.

“I’m hoping that the senator judges na manunumpa, babase sila sa katotohanan, babase sila sa ebidensyang nilalatag at hindi sila babase sa tinatawag nilang haka haka lang o kaya ay politically inclined decision,” he said in a radio interview.

“I’m hoping that the senator-judges who will take their oath will be guided by truth and the evidence laid out, and will not base their decision on rumors or political inclination,” he added.

Convicting an impeached official requires the vote of two-thirds of all members of the Senate, or 16 of the 24 senators.

This is higher than the number needed for the transmittal of the articles of impeachment from the House to the Senate, which requires the support of one-third of all House members, or 106 of 300 lawmakers.

Saballa also said he hopes Duterte would personally attend the Senate proceedings.

Under the law, the Vice President has the right to decide whether to participate in the proceedings.

The priest said the Senate trial would give Duterte a platform to answer allegations under oath, instead of responding through lawyers or press conferences.

“Umaasa tayo na sana siya mismo yung sasagot at hindi siya kukuha ng mouthpiece na sasagot sakanya, tulad ng ginagawa niya sa mga presscon,” Saballa said.

“We are hoping that the Vice President herself would answer and that she would not get a mouthpiece to answer for her, like what she is doing in press conferences,” he added.

“Ang nakakalungkot lang dito ay sumasagot siya through presscon, wala kasing panunumpa yun eh, walang pananagutan,” he said.

“The sad thing here is that when she answers through press conferences, there is no oath and no accountability,” he added.

Before the complaint is submitted to the Senate, the House justice panel is set to hold a hearing on 4 May to discuss and approve its consolidated report on the two impeachment complaints found to have probable cause on 29 April.

Lawmakers and the Vice President will then be furnished copies of the report ahead of the House plenary vote.