MANILA Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and House impeachment team spokesperson Ace Barbers on Friday dismissed as speculative the warning that a lower conviction threshold in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial could be used to pressure senator-judges through criminal cases.
The two were responding to a question about statements attributed to lawyer Paolo Panelo, Duterte’s spokesperson. The question described his warning that cases against senators could reduce the number counted in determining the votes needed for conviction.
Abante said senators should be allowed to resolve the threshold question when necessary, with fairness and justice guiding their decision.
“I mean, why don’t we give the right for the senator judges to be able to change the threshold when it is necessary?” he asked during an online press conference.
Barbers rejected the suggestion that Panelo’s interpretation settled the issue.
“Sa akin naman, kung gaya ng pananaw nila, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is the correct opinion,” he said. “Gaya ng sinabi ni Cong Benny, speculative,” he added.
Asked about a possible Supreme Court challenge, Abante questioned what grounds would support such a challenge. He referred to the retired justices’ discussion of grave abuse of discretion and the Senate’s authority to try impeachment cases.
“If you are going to go to the Supreme Court, anong magiging basis mo?” Abante asked. “Is there any violation of the Constitution?”
Barbers acknowledged the right to seek Supreme Court review if there were grounds to allege grave abuse of discretion. But he disputed the suggestion that criminal cases involving senators necessarily meant the government was manipulating the impeachment vote.
Whether a case was fabricated, he said, should be assessed through the evidence supporting it.
“But the issue of ang kaso ba ay gawa-gawa o hindi, siguro magdedepende ito sa ebidensyang ilalatag against you,” Barbers said.
When a reporter raised a hypothetical impeachment involving another vice president, Barbers said the Senate’s interpretation should apply beyond the personalities in the present case. He said the decision could guide impeachment proceedings involving other officials.
Abante urged Duterte to address the allegations against her while the Senate considered the voting issue.
“Ang tungkulin po ng vice president, sagutin niya lahat ng mga allegation laban sa kanya,” Abante stressed.
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