Sen. Risa Hontiveros Reacts To Senate Spokesperson’s Remarks over Impeachment Court’s Next Actions
RISA HONTIVEROS – The Senator chided the Senate spokesperson, Atty. Reginald Tongol, over his statement on the impeachment court’s next actions.
The Senate impeachment court previously ruled for the remand of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte. To prove that the decision of the Senate to return Duterte’s impeachment to the House of Representatives is not a dismissal of the case, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero said summons will be sent to the Vice President.
Indeed, summons were sent by the Senate impeachment court. However, the trial was not able to start in the 19th Congress as it was already close to its end when the impeachment court convened. However, recently, the spokesperson of the Senate claimed that the incoming senators could not yet take their oaths before the Senate President on July 29.
Atty. Reginald Tongol, the spokesman of the Senate, expressed that the House of Representatives prosecution team has yet to comply with the requirement in the remand of Duterte’s impeachment. The Senate impeachment court wanted a reconfirmation from the 20th Congress that it will push through with the case.
Tongol also claimed that the senators must first elect a Senate president in the 20th Congress. However, the remarks of the Senate spokesperson did not sit well with Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Based on a report on PhilStar, Sen. Risa Hontiveros chided Atty. Reginald Tongol saying only the senator-judges like her can decide on the next actions of the Senate impeachment court. She stressed that the Senate spokesperson is not reflecting the voice of all the senator judges.
“Atty. Tongol is entitled to speak in his own capacity, but, with all due respect, he does not reflect the voice of the Senate,” Hontiveros said.
Based on the report, Sen. Risa Hontiveros further said that the Senate spokesperson is only speaking in behalf of Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero and not her and the 22 other senator-judges of the impeachment court. According to Hontiveros, Escudero should also not “unilaterally decide” on the course of proceedings after the claim that it cannot start until the 20th Congress officially starts.
Currently, there are several talks on who might be the next Senate president in the 20th Congress. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri claimed that he, Sen. Loren Legarda, and incoming Sen. Ping Lacson will support incoming Sen. Tito Sotto for the Senate presidency. Sen. Joel Villanueva claimed that 13 senators allegedly back the lead of Escudero.
Amid the claim of Villanueva, Sen. Migz Zubiri is hoping for a new Senate president despite Escudero having 13 votes. He admitted that he is not in favor of the leadership of the current Senate president.