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SC: Petition to compel Senate to start Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial raffled
The petition to compel the Senate to begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has been raffled, the Supreme Court (SC) said Monday.
According to the SC, this may be included in the High Court’s agenda on Tuesday, February 18 along with other petitions.
Last week, lawyer Catalino Generillo Jr. asked the Supreme Court (SC) to compel the Senate to “immediately” convene as an impeachment court, arguing that the Constitution does not permit the Senate to delay its duty during recess.
Citing Article XI Section 3 of the Constitution, Generillo said the Charter was clear on the "definite periods of time" to take specific actions concerning an impeachment complaint.
Section 3(4) of Article XI states: "In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed."
This is because Senate President Chiz Escudero said the Senate could only convene as an impeachment court when Congress is in session, meaning the trial would begin when the 20th Congress opens in July.
'Forthwith'
1-Rider Representative "Rodge" Gutierrez, one of the 11 members of Congress who make up the House prosecution team in the impeachment trial, said he supported the petition.
“Pag sinabing ‘forthwith,’ ang ibig sabihin po nito ay kaagad, kaagad-agad,” Gutierrez said.
(When you say 'forthwith,' that means immediately.)
Gutierrez also pointed out that he has not gone on the campaign trail even though the campaign period for party-list groups has started because he is prioritizing preparations of the prosecution panel for the trial.
“Ang mandato natin dito [Our mandate] is not to run for a second campaign but to faithfully fulfill the duties that we have sworn to uphold,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter kung nandito pa rin kami sa [if we are still here in the] 20th Congress, 21st Congress, if we don’t do the job in the 19th Congress,” he added. — with Tina Panganiban-Perez/LDF/BM, GMA Integrated News
