Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the upper chamber is entrusting to the Solicitor General (SolGen) the response to the Supreme Court’s directive for comment on the petitions seeking immediate action on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment.
“As a lawyer that stands on behalf of the government, it is the SolGen that will answer, it is the SolGen who will appear, it is the SolGen that will handle the case for the Senate,” Escudero told reporters in a press briefing in Quezon City on Wednesday.
Escudero said the Senate is not answering or preparing to address the petition. “The SolGen will act as the lawyer of the Senate,” he added.
But Escudero clarified that the Senate’s legal team has prepared a response which will be sent to the Solicitor General.
“Although a draft has been prepared by the legal team as an advisory to me, we will forward it to the Solicitor General, but only for his information and consideration. It’s the SolGen who will appear before the Supreme Court on behalf of the Senate,” he said.
“I already requested the SolGen to make that representation before the Supreme Court on behalf of the Senate,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed the Senate to respond to the petition urging the High Court to compel the legislative body to take immediate action on the impeachment complaint against Duterte.
The Senate was given 10 days to submit its comment.
Meanwhile, Escudero rejected the increasing demands for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court to start the impeachment trial of Duterte.
“I don’t define that as a clamor. There are people asking for it. Which book says that a case becomes a clamor? Does the definition of clamor state that it should be five cases, 10 cases, 15 cases, or 20 cases before it becomes a clamor?” he said.
Several groups have called on the Senate to start Duterte’s trial following the House of Representatives transmission of the Articles of Impeachment.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Bayan Muna Partylist submitted a position paper to the Senate, calling for prompt action on the impeachment.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also wrote a letter to Escudero, citing Article XI, Section 3, Paragraph 4 of the 1987 Constitution which states that the Senate must act “forthwith” on an impeachment case.
“Since it is a constitutional provision or term that we are giving meaning to, the term ‘forthwith’ must be interpreted in accordance with the verba legis rule, that is, it should be given its ‘plain and ordinary meaning,’” Pimentel said
Likening it to the historical call for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Escudero insisted the pressure from various groups does not yet constitute a public clamor.