MANILA Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. on Thursday urged the Senate Impeachment Court to determine whether statements attributed to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s spokesperson, Atty. Paolo Panelo may have violated the court’s sub judice rule.
Abante made the statement after reporters asked the House prosecution panel about Panelo’s remarks alleging that some senator-judges had manipulated the vote that resulted in the impeachment court’s new threshold ruling.
While acknowledging that Panelo is not part of Duterte’s defense team, Abante emphasized that Panelo speaks in an official capacity as the vice president’s spokesperson.
“He might not be a member of the defense team,” Abante said during a press conference. “But he is officially the spokesperson of the vice president.”
The lawmaker said Panelo’s position is relevant because his statements involved matters currently being considered by the impeachment court.
“Therefore, kasama siya roon,” Abante said. “I believe the impeachment court should also look into what Atty. Panelo said, being a lawyer.”
The Senate Impeachment Court earlier voted 13–1, with six senator-judges not participating, to clarify that the constitutional phrase “all the Members of the Senate” refers to senators who are legally and factually able to participate at the time of judgement.
Panelo was quoted in media reports describing the ruling as “lokohan” and questioning its fairness.
Abante said the determination of whether the remarks constitute a sub judice violation rests with the impeachment court.
“Kung talagang ito ay sub judice, because he speaks about the matters of the impeachment, dapat lang managot siya,” he said. “Naniniwala ako, dapat siyang managot dito.”
Abante added that Panelo’s criticism appeared to be directed at the senator-judges who issued the ruling, rather than only at the House prosecution panel.
“Hindi na prosecution team ang sinabihan niya,” Abante said. “Iyong mismong mga senator-judges ang sinabi niyang naglolokohan.”
metrosundaily
