No personal issues in defense motion to inhibit vs Angara—lawyer

Senator Edgardo Angara. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines – The defense panel said Tuesday that there were no “personal issues” in the filing of the motion to inhibit against Senator Edgardo Angara.

The motion to inhibit was “not intended to hurt or damage the reputation of members involved in the impeachment proceedings,” Defense spokesman Rico Paolo Quicho told reporters in a press briefing.

The defense panel filed a motion to inhibit against Senator Angara on the basis of his son, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, being a member of the prosecution panel as a spokesman.

Senator Angara said shortly after the start of Tuesday’s proceedings that he would not inhibit himself saying “I consider it as a constitutional duty on my part to act as a judge, and no persuasion can convince me that I should inhibit.”

Quicho said that they respected Senator Angara’s decision and maintained that they have no intention to disrespect, hurt, or put to shame any member of the court.

When asked whether the motion to inhibit filed against Senator Angara was the last, Quicho said that they did not plan the motion and it only came about due to developments as the case progressed.

He did not categorically say there would not be any more motions to inhibit against any of the other members of the Senate.

Defense spokesman Tranquil Salvador said, “We assure you that we highly respect all the members of the senate as an impeachment court.”

He said that there are things that “need to be done, but respect [for the senate] remains whole and [they will fully] comply with all orders [of the Senate].”