The Filipino people will be closely watching how the senators will conduct themselves as judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, legal experts said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Prince Hotel, University of the Philippines College of Law associate dean and assistant professor Paolo Tamase said the senator-judges’ actions will shape the public trust in the proceedings.
Tamase drew parallels to the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada, when the prosecutors walked out after 11 senators voted against opening the second envelope—the incident that triggered the EDSA II protests.
He said today’s impeachment trial presents an even bigger challenge due to the influence of social media, which can shape the public’s perception.
According to Tamase, the best way for the public to get at the truth behind the charges against Duterte is to watch the live television coverage rather than rely solely on social media.
“The evidence that will establish the truth—whether from the prosecution or the defense—will be seen directly by the public, unfiltered. They just need to turn on their televisions. What we will see there will essentially be the full context,” he said.
He warned that the information on social media could be easily manipulated.
“It’s very easy to splice videos, to insert commentary or soundbites that may not reflect the truth—or worse, to present only a portion and twist it into something misleading,” Tamase said.
For her part, UP law dean Ma. Soledad Margarita Deriquito-Mawis echoed the concern, saying the burden is on the public to discern the truth from what they will see.
“Sometimes what is presented as ‘truth’ depends on who wrote it. That’s why it’s a challenge—how do you determine what is right or wrong from what you read? It’s important that we also watch the news and not rely solely on written posts, because these can be shaped by the writer’s bias,” Mawis explained.
On the issue of the online participation in the trial—particularly of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa—Tamase said it would ultimately depend on the Senate leadership. He stressed, however, that taking the judge’s oath in person is a crucial requirement, underscoring the solemnity of the role of senator-judges.
He said that only the Senate can decide whether or not to allow remote participation.
He recalled the case of the late Senator Robert Barbers, who was unable to vote during an impeachment proceeding due to illness and was marked absent, highlighting the importance of a physical presence in such trials.
