Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Sunday apologized for mocking the physical appearance of Akbayan Partylist Representative Percival Cendaña, a stroke survivor.
Atty. Tranquil Salvador III recalled that the Senate immediately convened right after the articles of impeachment were forwarded to the upper chamber by the House of Representatives.
He noted that Vice Duterte’s impeachment happened on the very last day of the session before Congress went on break.
“This is unique because the Senate said Wednesday night that: ‘Well, we are on recess, [and] the session is suspended. We will come back on 2 June,’” Salvador said.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Senate is mandated to proceed to trial at once following the transmittal of an impeachment complaint, he said.
However, Congress will only have six session days when they resume on 2 June and adjourn sine die on 14 June, marking the end of the 19th Congress, which the 20th Congress will replace in July.
Salvador questioned whether they can do that in a few days, adding that all he can say is that this is up to the Senate because they are the court.
He said since the Senate will make its own rules, they could schedule marathon hearings if members would agree to that.
The impeachment trial, he added, is also unique because of the potential to spill over into the 20th Congress, an issue that the Supreme Court might need to settle.
For Salvador, the impeachment case cannot be carried over since it will involve a different Congress altogether.
He said if they want to do that, a legal question will arise because that has not been settled by the Supreme Court.
Salvador recalled that during the Corona impeachment trial, the prosecution panel presented only three out of the eight articles of impeachment.
He said the prosecution might decide to focus on just one or two articles, which means the defense will only need to focus on those.
In a social media post, Dela Rosa, a known ally of Duterte, apologized to Cendaña after facing heavy criticism from various health and medical advocates for his offensive remarks about the lawmaker’s health condition.
“The past few days have weighed heavily on Filipinos, especially on us Mindanaoans and other Cebuano-speaking people. Many people got angry, and because I empathized with their anger, I ended up saying words that were not good and hurt the feelings of others,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
“I apologize for what I said and did, particularly in failing to see the bigger picture. My apologies to Congressman Perci Cendaña for my offensive comments on his person. I wish him good health,” he added.
He continued: “I make no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt my words have caused.”
On Saturday, Dela Rosa berated and threatened Cendaña, a staunch critic of Vice President Sara Duterte within the House of Representatives.
“Your face looks as though it has been punched, that’s why it’s skewed,” Dela Rosa said in the Visayan language. “Come here so I can punch the other side of your face and make it balanced.”
Dela Rosa’s remarks stemmed from Cendaña’s comments on Duterte’s claimed light response to the lower chamber’s decision to impeach her.
“I want to tell VP Sara, ‘sister, this is not a discussion of relationships, it is about public accountability,” Cendaña said in Filipino.
Cendaña endorsed the first impeachment complaint filed by civil society organizations against Duterte before the House of Representatives Office.
A total of 215 lawmakers, or more than two-thirds of the House of Representatives members, supported the resolution to impeach Duterte.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier said that the Senate would act on the impeachment complaints against Duterte once the session resumes on 2 June, or after the May elections.
Seven incumbent senators are seeking reelection in the May polls. Three of them, including Dela Rosa, are known allies of the Dutertes in the chamber.
Cendaña said on Sunday that Dela Rosa must extend an apology to all the persons suffering from the same medical condition.
“I welcome Senator Bato’s apology. I hope he can also do the same to all stroke survivors who were hurt by his remarks,” said Cendaña after the senator said sorry for his foul remarks.
“We are not onion skins, but it is a different matter when a public servant of such high position uses his voice to threaten people with violence and discriminate people with health concerns,” he added.