House Speaker Martin Romualdez Speaks on Senate’s Decision to Postpone Duterte Impeachment Proceedings
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ – The House Speaker spoke on the delay of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The reading of the articles of impeachment by the House of Representatives’ prosecution team was supposedly set yesterday, June 2. Today, the impeachment court was initially scheduled to convene but Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero announced the postponement of the impeachment proceedings against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
According to the Senate Chief, the House and the Senate still have several measures to pass before the 19th Congress ends. He also cited that the Commission on Appointments still have over 200 presidential appointees to review. According to him, the presentation of the articles of impeachment will be moved from June 2 to June 11.
The announcement of Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero earned different reactions and speculations. It triggered speculations that there might be no trial that would happen. There are also speculations that the change in the schedule is possibly under the influence of a presidential power.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos who repeatedly stressed that he is against the impeachment of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte previously admitted that he is open to reconcile with the Duterte family. Amid the issues, Malacañang stressed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos wants the Duterte impeachment process to push through.
Sen. Koko Pimentel who helped draft the impeachment rules said he will ask Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero over his thought process why he changed the schedule. Former Senator Leila de Lima claimed that the Senate President is allegedly violating the Philippine Constitution.
Previously, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that the delay of the impeachment proceedings against her has no effect to her. According to the Vice President, she will let her lawyers handle it. She previously stressed that she has already accepted whatever will be the outcome of the trial.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives which is under the lead of presidential cousin and House Speaker Martin Romualdez last February 5. Two-thirds of the lawmakers in the House including presidential son and Ilocos Norte Congressman Sandro Marcos signed the impeachment rap against Duterte.
On the delay of the impeachment proceedings against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, based on a report on Inquirer, House Speaker Martin Romualdez stressed that the impeachment complaint is already in the Senate. He called for respect to the decision of Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero and the upper chamber.
“’Yung mga impeachment complaint ay nasa Senado na. So we leave it to their sound discretion as to how they want to proceed and conduct… We have to respect the decision of the Senate President and the Senate,” Romualdez said.
Based on the report, House Speaker Martin Romualdez stressed that the matter is best left to the discretion of the Senate. According to him, everything including the speculations of a “no trial” is “speculative at this point”. Despite the delay, the House Speaker expressed his hope that “things resolve itself positively for all”.
Previously, presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos claimed that the impeachment move against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte allegedly already lost. She went to The Hague with the Vice President.