THE Senate cannot have two presidents in Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Alan Peter Cayetano, two secretaries and two clerks of court of the impeachment court, lead House impeachment prosecutor Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of Batangas said Monday.
Luistro, who chairs the House Committee on Justice, expressed concern over the continuing leadership crisis in the Senate as the previously announced dates for pre-trail conference on June 15 and 18 and trial proper on July 6 are fast approaching.
Her statement was in reaction to the proposal of the Cayetano group for an “interim (Senate) administration” where the two factions would be involved in running the Senate.
“The Constitution does not provide for interim administration ‘no. Ang hirap din i-conceive na dalawa ang Senate president, dalawa ang Senate Secretaries, dalawa ang clerk of court (of the Senate impeachment court). There has to be only one because that’s what the Constitution provides,” she told a news conference.
However, she said the 11-member prosecution team she heads would follow the stand taken by the House leadership, which has recognized the election of Gatchalian as Senate president pro-tempore by the new Senate majority and his designation as acting Senate president.
“And with respect to the 11 prosecutors, we have manifested already our position – kung na saan ang House nandoon kami, kung ang rinerecognize ng House ay ang leadership ni Acting SP Win, then we are recognizing the same leadership,” she said.
Luistro expressed faith in the new Gatchalian-led Senate leadership.
“Ako I have expressed my faith and confidence already to the present leadership in the same way that I express the same faith and confidence to the former leadership during their time,” she said.
She said the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte must proceed regardless of who is the Senate president.
“Remember that this is a constitutional duty. This is not a question (of) sino ba ang Senate president, sino ba ang presiding officer, sino ba ang clerk of court? This is a question of proceeding, to trying the case and rendering judgement afterwards. This is not a question of personality,” she said.
She reiterated that the Constitution directs the Senate to conduct a trial “forthwith” once the House of Representatives transmits an impeachment complaint to the smaller chamber.
“What the Constitution mandates is very simple and clear – ‘trial forthwith.’ It does not mention about personalities or position. And after trial forthwith, judgement, which is either conviction or acquittal,” Luistro stressed.
