Members of VP defense team bared
VP Sara Duterte and Senate President Francis Escudero —Niño Jesus Orbeta
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team on Monday officially entered its appearance for the impeachment trial.
Lawyer Reginald Tongol, spokesperson for the Senate impeachment court, shared with the media copies of the formal entry of Duterte’s lawyers submitted to the court at 5:03 p.m. It was received by the secretary of the Senate acting as clerk of court.
Lawyers from the Fortun Narvasa & Salazar law firm will defend Duterte, according to the document also provided to the House of Representatives. They are Philip Sigfrid Fortun, Gregorio Narvasa II, Sheila Sison, Carlo Joaquin Narvasa, Roberto Batungbacal, Justin Nicol Gular, Lindon Miguel Bacquel, David Ronell Golla VII, Maria Selena Golda Fortun, Clarlaine Radoc, Francesca Marie Flores, Miguel Carlos Fernandez, Reynold Munsayac, Mark Vinluan, Ralph Bodota, and Michael Wesley Poa.
No to inhibit calls
On June 11, the impeachment court sent out the writ of summons, giving the Vice President 10 days to reply to the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House on Feb. 5.
Also on Monday, Senate President Francis Escudero rejected calls for some senators to inhibit themselves from the impeachment trial of Duterte, following their recent statements and actions in her behalf.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa had earlier acknowledged initiating a resolution calling for the dismissal of Duterte’s impeachment case, while Sen. Robinhood Padilla declared his support for Duterte in an interview on June 9, when he signed the resolution to terminate the impeachment case.
Padilla and Sen. Imee Marcos also followed the Vice President to Kuala Lumpur, where she was on a “personal” visit during the Senate session.
In a press briefing on Monday, Escudero said: “We will not listen to or heed any call or request from anyone biased—whether in favor or against impeachment.”
“It is clear that they are anti-Sara and are in favor of impeachment,” he added.
‘For or against’ VP
The Vice President said she was against senator-judges inhibiting themselves.
“We cannot ask senator-judges to inhibit themselves based on bias, because a person will only have one position—you are for or against Inday Sara,” Duterte said in a press conference in Davao City on Monday.
According to Escudero, the decision to inhibit is a “voluntary” act on the part of the senator-judges.
“That [decision] cannot be forced on anyone, whether in favor of VP Sara or against VP Sara,” he said.
He said the only option for those against the participation of “biased” senator-judges is to seek their removal through the Senate ethics committee.
Escudero again defended remanding the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives, saying the Senate as an impeachment court has “blanket authority” over all matters regarding an impeachment trial.
“The impeachment court has no limits on what we can or cannot decide. In the rules, you won’t find anything that says ‘it’s forbidden,’” he said.
Questioning Senate
The Senate leader challenged critics to question its actions before the Supreme Court.
“If, in your view, the Senate has done something that is against the Constitution, you are free to file a case. Until the Supreme Court makes a decision, everything is just an opinion,” Escudero said.
In a forum on Saturday in Davao City, the Duterte family’s bailiwick, lawyers based there had warned critics of the Senate against questioning its actions before the Supreme Court (SC), saying this would further delay the trial to the Vice President’s advantage.
“The camp of Sara would like the House to question the Senate’s act in the SC. In fact, Sara’s Davao lawyer already made a supplemental motion,” said Lawyer Joel Mahinay, vice chair of the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao. /cb —With reports from Zacarian Sarao and Inquirer Research
