IT’S now time for Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to show up in the hearings of the Committee on Justice to answer the impeachment charges against her, according to former Far Eastern University (FEU) law dean Mel Sta. Maria.
He told Bilyonaryo News Channel in an interview on Thursday that the vice president is the only person who could explain the accusations of violation of the Constitution and other acts of wrongdoing against her.
“Sa tingin ko lang dapat (sumipot na siya), sapagkat ang daming testimonya ngayon na lumalabas, ang daming ebidensiya, ang daming mga kuwento. At kung dapat na mapasinungalingan ‘yan at masabing hindi totoo, isa lang tao ang makakapagpatunay niyan, si VP Sara Duterte,” Sta. Maria said.
He said showing up is also for VP Duterte’s benefit.
“Kaya napakahalagaga, ito ay para rin sa kanya, para masabi niya sa mga tao na hindi totoo ang mga kuwento dito. Pero kung pupunta siya o hindi, hindi natin alam,” he said.
The Committee on Justice chaired by Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro had invited the Vice President to its hearing last Tuesday, but decided to not attend.
Nevertheless, in an apparent attempt to comply with due process, Luistro called her twice, but no one responded.
In his interview, Sta. Mara also said he found the testimony of Ramil L. Madriaga, who claimed he was VP Duterte’s bagman and bank account dummy of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, “reliable” insofar as determining probable cause to impeach the country’s No. 2 official was concerned.
“Tandaan natin na ang batayan o hantungang lebel ng mga ebidensiya dito ay ‘yung tinatawag nating probable cause. Ibig sabihin ito’y likelihood lang,” he said.
“Maaari ba sa mga kuwento at ebidensiyang nilatag, maari ba nating masabi na ginawa nga ni VP Sara? Hindi pa ang question dito ay moral certainty, absolute truth, hindi pa ito. Ito ay isang likelihood lamang,” he said.
He pointed out that Madriaga mentioned so many details that can collectively be used by justice committee members in determining probable cause to endorse the two impeachment complaints against the vice president.
“From that perspective, ‘yung testimonya ng nasabing testigo (Madriaga), may detalye, may mga taong sinabi, may mga halagang binigkas, may mga lugar (na binanggit), at saka ‘yung P125 million, ‘yung mga liquidation, mukha yatang puro detalye. Talagang masasabi nating reliable only for purposes of probable cause, likelihood threshold para mailipat na sa Senado,” he said.
