Senators reserve judgment on 1st impeachment rap vs Duterte

Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

“Good luck to them” was Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s message to the Magadalo group that initiated the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday.

Lacson said the group “should not be criticized much less mocked” for filing the complaint at the House of Representatives since it is the constitutional way of booting out a sitting president. The case was filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano.

READ: 1st impeachment complaint filed vs Duterte for killings, graft

“At least this time they are not engaging in another Oakwood type of adventure,” he said in a text message to reporters, referring to the failed Oakwood mutiny during the time of then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Now, whether or not the move will get the 1/3 votes of congressmen required to impeach the President is another matter,” Lacson said.

Another hurdle, he said, would be to get at least 16 of 24 sitting senators needed to convict the President should the complaint reach the Senate.

“All I can say is, without necessarily associating myself with them in the matter of impeaching PRRD (Duterte’s initials), my simple message is, good luck to them,” the senator added.

Other senators, meanwhile, refused to comment on the case, except saying that the filing of the impeachment was enshrined in the Constitution.

READ: No ‘compelling reason’ yet to impeach Duterte—Ejercito

“The process of impeachment is enshrined in our Constitution as a mechanism of public accountability. Whether we agree or disagree with the filing of the complaint we must respect the process as part of our constitutional democracy,” Senator Francis Pangilinan, president of Liberal Party, said in a separate statement.

Asked if the LP would support the case against Duterte, Pangilinan said: “We respect the process. No comment na muna since kung umabot sa Senate ito magiging senator-judges kami (No comment for now because if this reaches the Senate, we will become senator-judges).”

“Impeachment is part of our democratic process of exacting accountability. Any citizen has the right to file a petition if they believe they have a valid case against any impeachable public official,” Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros said in another statement.

Hontiveros said she has not read the complaint and she would just leave it to the House to determine its merit.

Pangilinan and Hontiveros are part of the Senate minority bloc.

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, member of the majority bloc, said he would not comment on it “as it may constitute pre-judgement in case it reaches the Senate.”

“That is the prerogative of every congressman and rests within the sole jurisdiction and discretion of the House of Representatives. Inter-chamber courtesy dictates nothing less,” Escudero said. IDL/rga