INTERNAL questions within the Senate should be resolved promptly to ensure a credible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and prevent confusion among the public, House trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said Wednesday.
Alonto Adiong said the House prosecution panel respects the Senate’s authority to settle its own internal affairs, but stressed that any disagreement should not be allowed to undermine public confidence in the impeachment process.
“Mahirap ‘yun kasi that would be a disservice to the public kung magkaroon ka ng dalawang korte. Never, maybe in the minds of the framers would they even anticipate na magkakaroon ng ganitong senaryo,” Adiong said in an interview on Memo on Bilyonaryo News Channel.
He emphasized that the country should ultimately be presented with one credible and authoritative impeachment court.
“Kung akong tatanungin mo, hindi dapat magkaroon ng dalawa. I mean, it should not be a case where internal division between and among senators would result to the national confusion,” Alonto Adiong maintained.
According to Alonto Adiong, the situation calls for statesmanship from senators who will eventually sit as judges in the impeachment proceedings.
“This is a call not only for the Senate to immediately proceed with the trial, but this is also a call for statesmanship. And the people are evaluating individual senators in this case,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
The House prosecution panel is preparing for the June 18 pretrial conference and remains focused on presenting its evidence and witnesses before the impeachment court.
Asked about the notice issued for the pretrial conference, Alonto Adiong said the prosecution panel intends to comply with official directives related to the proceedings.
“As far as we’re concerned and as far as I know, si Acting Senate President Gatchalian ‘yung nag-issue. Yes. Ang House nire-recognize,” Alonto Adiong said.
The Senate has been dealing with competing leadership claims following the June 3 session that installed Sen. Win Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and left the Senate presidency vacant pending the election of a new Senate President.
Alonto Adiong noted that developments within the Senate itself indicate how the institution has been conducting its official activities.
“Hindi lang ang House nagre-recognize, even the Senate itself. Mayroon nang institutional recognition on the part of the staff and sa kabuuan ng institusyon na si Acting Senate President Win Gatchalian,” Alonto Adiong explained.
He cited the participation of Senate personnel in recent proceedings.
“Kasi kung titignan mo, during the Blue Ribbon Committee at subcommittee, kukumpara mo. Noong subcommittee ng Blue Ribbon, nagkaroon ng investigation, walang staff na nandun,” Alonto Adiong noted.
“Walang stenographer, wala. Pero in the case of the one that they had two days ago, makita mo nandun kumpleto ‘yung staff,” Alonto Adiong pointed out.
Asked whether the House prosecution panel had received any directive from another impeachment court, Alonto Adiong said it had not.
“As far as I know, wala akong natanggap ang House prosecution team ng ibang order from another court. Yes, definitely yes,” Alonto Adiong said when asked if the panel expects to meet on June 18.
Alonto Adiong said the Senate’s internal questions should be settled in a manner that protects the credibility of the impeachment process and reassures the public that constitutional institutions remain capable of resolving disputes through established procedures.
“The important thing is for the impeachment trial to move forward in a credible, orderly, and constitutionally sound manner, with no room for confusion as to the authority of the court,” Alonto Adiong said.
