Ortega agrees with Escudero to study more about VP impeachment case

La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said Senate President Francis Escudero gave him “good advice” when the latter told him to study the impeachment proceedings further as he agreed that lawmakers should learn more about the merits and processes of the complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. (La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega. OFFICIAL FB PAGE)

MANILA, Philippines  — La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said Senate President Francis Escudero gave him “good advice” when the latter told him to study the impeachment proceedings further as he agreed that lawmakers should learn more about the merits and processes of the complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Ortega, during a press briefing on Thursday, said that he sees Escudero’s statements as an elder brother’s advice as the Senate leader is already a tenured member of Congress.

Escudero on Wednesday said that Ortega should “study more” the rules of Congress and laws surrounding impeachment proceedings after the House lawmaker questioned why the Senate can conduct hearings but cannot start the trial of Duterte.

READ: ‘Study more’ about VP impeachment trial, Escudero tells Ortega

“Maganda po ‘yong advice niya sa akin, maganda rin po ‘yong — payong kuya ang tawag do’n — kasi dapat po talaga mag-study pa more tayong lahat lalong-lalong na po dito sa magyayaring impeachment na trial kasi nga po hindi pa rin humihinto ‘yong mga legal opinions, kaliwa kanan po ang mga naririnig nating legal opinions, tuloy-tuloy po ‘yong public discourse,” Ortega said.

(His advice to me is good, it’s good to have that — that’s an elder brother’s advice — because we really have to study more especially with the looming impeachment trial because lawyers have not stopped giving legal opinions, we hear so many legal opinions along with public discourse.)

“So wala naman po kong problema doon, sabi ko nga po payong kuya po ‘yan, sabi ko nga isa po sila sa mga iniidolo natin na mga public servants, matagal na rin po sila na nandyan, at nag-agree po ko, kailangan po talagang pag-aralan maigi itong impeachment na ito at pag-aralan po yung mga hakbang na gagawin sa impeachment na ito,” he added.

(So I have no problem with that, as I said it’s brotherly advice, he is one of my idols in terms of public service as he has been there for a long time already, and I agree, we need to study this impeachment and study the steps that will be taken in connection to these proceedings.)

Ortega also clarified that he is not a member of the prosecution team and that he is only voicing out his opinions on Duterte’s impending trial.

“‘Yong sakin naman, hindi po ako prosecutor, para klaro po sa lahat.  So siguro naman po yung opinion ko hindi mag-jeopardize ng case.  Siguro ang point lang ni SP Chiz (Escudero), kasi nga po diba pag nili-limit po na ‘yong mga prosecutors eh magbigay po ng komentaryo at magdagdag po outside of the hindi pa po nangyayaring impeachment,” Ortega noted.

(For me, I am not a prosecutor, just to be clear.  I think my opinions would not jeopardize the case.  Maybe the point of SP Chiz (Escudero), is that they want to limit prosecutors and senator-judges from making commentaries and go outside of the still impending impeachment trial.)

“Pero sa side ko lang naman po, ang pagboboses naman po ng opinion is maganda para we are keeping alive ‘yong practice po at saka itong kahalagaan ng free speech, saka buhay po ‘yong topic ng impeachment sa ating lahat,” he added.

(But on my end, voicing out opinions is good because we are keeping alive the practice and the importance of free speech, and this indicates that the topic of impeachment is still alive.)

Duterte was impeached by the House last February 5, after 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint, hinged on several issues such as the alleged misuse of confidential funds lodged within her offices, threats to ranking officials including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and conduct unbecoming of a Vice President.

The articles of impeachment were immediately transmitted to the Senate, as the 1987 Constitution requires a trial to start forthwith if at least one-third of all House members — in this case, 102 out of 306 —  have signed and endorsed the petition.

READ: House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate

However, the trial has yet to start as the articles of impeachment were not forwarded to the Senate plenary before the session ended on February 5 — which means that Congress would have to reconvene first after the election season, or through a special session to discuss the matter.

Previously, Escudero said that the trial would start by July 30 — with the new set of lawmakers after the 2025 midterm elections sitting as senator-judges.  Several House lawmakers — including members of the prosecution team — previously said that while they respect the Senate’s stand on the matter, tbelievelief that the impeachment trial should start at the soonest possible time.

READ: Lawmakers hope VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial will start soon

Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, one of the prosecutors tapped by the House, also raised concerns about the possibility of evidence crucial to the impeachment case being tampered with and witnesses being threatened if trial continues to be delayed.