HOUSE spokesperson lawyer Princess T. Abante on Wednesday clarified that the House of Representatives is not making difficult the processes related to the impeachment and impending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Abante told a news conference that the House is not making things hard and that what the chamber wants is for VP Duterte’s trial to proceed “forthwith” as mandated by the Constitution.
She said the House did not accept the articles of impeachment “remanded” to it by the Senate impeachment court because of a motion to defer acceptance approved by the larger chamber in plenary session.
“Well, hindi naman kami nagpapahirap. Kaklaruhin natin kung ano ‘yung mga factual na pangyayari doon sa mga binanggit ni Senate President Chiz Escudero. On June 11, during the last session day of the 19th Congress, a motion was made to defer the acceptance of the remand of the articles of impeachment which was approved by the plenary. Kaya hindi pa matanggap ng House because there was a motion approved sa plenary,” Abante said in response to the statement of Escudero.
Abante also clarified the alleged refusal of the House to accept the entry of appearance in the impeachment court of VP Duterte’s lawyers.
She said the person who delivered the document to the House failed to make clear what it was all about.
“Doon naman sa entry of appearance (of VP Duterte lawyers), again, pinapaliwanag natin, wala naman tinanggihan. Hindi nga lang kasi nagpakilala ng maayos ang mensahero kung ano yung binibigay nila sa House na dokumento. Hindi naman sinabi kung entry of appearance ‘to o para saan,” Abante said.
Abante said the Senate trial of the impeached Vice President should now proceed “forthwith.”
“Walang tinatanggihan, walang pinahihirapan. Ang gusto natin, isang trial na maisagawa forthwith. Kasi dapat lang matuloy ang trial. Yun naman ang nakalagay sa Saligang Batas eh. Wala naman tayong pinanghuhugutang pang personal o politika. Ang sinusunod lang natin ‘yung nakalagay sa Saligang Batas which is to proceed with the impeachment proceedings forthwith,” Abante stressed.
She pointed out that the House of Representatives maintains that it has already done its part in impeaching the Vice President as provided under the Constitution.
“We had more than 200 members of the House that have endorsed the articles of impeachment at nai-transmit na ito sa Senado. Nagampanan na ng House ang kanyang tungkulin at patuloy na ‘yun ang aming magiging posisyon na constitutional ‘yung naging pag-transmit…ng Kamara sa Senado ng articles of impeachment,” Abante added.
