Trillanes confident of Duterte conviction

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Saying there were fewer than five senators who are President Duterte “die-hards,” Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is confident the Senate, as an impeachment court, will convict the President.

Trillanes made the fearless forecast on Tuesday in response to a question on how he can muster support for a conviction if the House of Representatives impeached Mr. Duterte.

A president may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Senate acting as an impeachment court.

“There are certain dynamics and intervening events that will dictate on the weeks to come,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes’ fellow Magdalo party-list member Rep. Gary Alejano filed the impeachment complaint against Mr. Duterte after Congress went on recess last week.

The complaint alleges the President has hidden wealth and was behind the Davao Death Squad responsible for killing hundreds of suspected criminals and his political enemies when he was mayor of Davao City.

Trillanes told reporters his group was doing what was necessary “to achieve its objectives.”

The administration-dominated House wants the impeachment complaint withdrawn because it knows the Senate will end up convicting the President, according to Trillanes.

He said he knew “for a fact” that there were fewer than five senators who were Duterte die-hards while the others were “just trying to humor (him), making him hope for their support, using him for their purpose or some just felt obligated to do so.”