Senate can proceed independently with impeachment trial
THE Senate will proceed independently as an impeachment court.
Thus said by Senate President Francis Chiz Escudero as he asserted that the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) recommendation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file criminal charges against Vice President Sara Duterte will not interfere with the impeachment process in the Senate.
Speaking at a press conference, Escudero clarified that the two legal matters—the potential criminal case and the impeachment proceedings—are independent of each other.
“Walang epekto yan sa napipintang impeachment proceedings. Walang bearing yan at walang kinalaman yan doon. Sa katunayan, pwede magpatuloy yan ng sabay, pwedeng mauna, pwedeng sumunod. Wala siyang bearing sa impeachment proceedings na isasagawa ng Senado,” he stated when asked about the potential implications of the NBI’s findings.
He further explained that an impeachment trial operates differently from other judicial or investigative processes. Unlike Senate inquiries that issue subpoenas and call witnesses to testify, an impeachment court functions passively and does not gather evidence on its own.
“An impeachment court like any court is a passive body. Wala kaming gagawin. Hindi ito parang investigasyon ng Senado na mag-i-issue kami ng sabina para mga samang ebidensya o testigo na magpunta. Trabaho yan na magkabilang panig ng prosecution at defense kung saka-saka na hilingin yan sa Korte o NBI at trabaho din nalang ipresenta yan,” Escudero emphasized.
He clarified that the Senate does not yet have full jurisdiction over the case until certain procedural steps are completed, particularly Vice President Duterte’s response to the impeachment complaint.
“Wala pa kaming jurisdiction sa katauhan ng nasasakdal ni VP Sara hanggat siya hindi pa sumasagot at na-arraign,” Escudero said.
The Senate President also addressed questions about how the impeachment process would proceed. He noted that under existing Senate rules, the impeachment court will only be fully convened once the proper steps are followed.
“Depende sa ilalaman ng rules. So isang boto na yan pabor doon. Wala akong particular position. Okay lang sakin either way. Ang sinasabi ko lamang sa inyo, yung dalawang yan ay posibleng mangyari at magawa, na nag-convene at nag-issue ng summons, na hindi nag-convene na nag-issue ng summons,” he explained.
Despite the political significance of both the NBI’s findings and the impeachment case, Escudero underscored that the Senate will proceed with its responsibilities independently, focusing solely on the constitutional process of impeachment.
