THE House Committee on Justice will begin deliberations on four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte on March 2 to 4, focusing first on determining their sufficiency in form and substance, panel chair Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” R. Luistro of Batangas said Tuesday.
“Nai-refer na sa Justice Committee ang apat na impeachment complaints against the Vice President. We are considering starting the deliberation of the Justice Committee on March 2, March 3, and March 4. That is Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, at least for the purpose of determining sufficiency, in form, and substance,” Luistro told reporters in an ambush interview.
“So initially, I wish to advance that we are inclined to continue the hearing even during recess,” she said. “Kung dadating tayo sa puntong iyon about the recess, yes, we will continue our deliberation even during the recess of the House.”
“Kung matapos on March 2, yung sufficiency in form. So that’s it, we will be moving to sufficiency in substance on the subsequent day. Pero kung hindi siya matapos, we can continue the deliberation on the succeeding day.”
Luistro said the panel could not begin this week as it needed time to reproduce the complaints and distribute copies to all committee members.
“Of course, we cannot start this week as much as we wanted to take action right away sapagkat the Justice Committee need to reproduce the complaints and provide copies to all the members of the Justice Committee,” Luistro said.
She clarified that while the four complaints would be taken up in a single impeachment proceeding, they would not be physically consolidated at the outset.
“For clarity, kaya sinasabi nating consolidation is because we will be deliberating on the four impeachment complaints in one impeachment proceeding. But as to the physical consolidation, that will happen only after we have determined the existence of probable cause,” she explained.
The Batangas House leader outlined the five-step process the committee would follow, beginning with the determination of sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance.
“We will be determining sufficiency in form and substance on the entirety of the impeachment complaint. Ang deliberation natin gagawin natin per impeachment complaint. We will also tackle per ground, pero pag bumoto tayo, our vote will be based on the entirety of the impeachment complaint,” she said.
If the complaints pass both standards, she said the respondent will be given 10 calendar days to file an answer, after which the complainant may reply within three days and the respondent may file a rejoinder within another three days.
The panel will then proceed to a proper hearing before voting on probable cause, Luistro said.
Luistro acknowledged that the proceedings could take longer than the previous impeachment deliberations against the President, citing the number of complaints and possible grounds involved.
“They might be correct kasi four impeachment complaints ito, compared doon kay President which are only two impeachment complaints, just De Jesus and the Maza et al. This one is four. On that ground, I would agree na mas magiging mahaba ang deliberation,” Luistro said.
She noted that discussions would be conducted per complaint and per ground.
“So kung may limang ground ang isang complaint, we will be asking the justice members to make their comment and manifestation per ground. So if there are five grounds for four impeachment complaints, this will be a total of 20 grounds na pag-uusapan,” Luistro said.
She added that some grounds may overlap.
“Although, I wish to advance as well that there are grounds that were repeated or the same grounds that were raised in the other impeachment complaints,” she said.
Ultimately, she said, the length of the proceedings would depend on whether the complaints pass the threshold tests.
“Ultimately kung mahaba o hindi ang proceeding nito, it will depend first kung papasa siya sa standard ng form and substance. Kung papasa siya sa standard ng form and substance, then possibly mahaba ang magiging procedure,” Luistro said.
Luistro also signaled the panel’s readiness to proceed without delay if the complaints advance to the next stages.
“Again, because this is a very important process, this is an extraordinary power that was given to the sovereign Filipino people to impeach high-ranking public officials. We do not want to delay impeachment proceedings,” Luistro said.
