Sen. JV Ejercito Believes VP Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial Must Push Through
JV EJERCITO – The Senator blamed the House of Representatives in the alleged delay in the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
Recently, several senators expressed their side on the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte which has yet to begin. Before the 19th Congress adjourned, the Senate impeachment court ruled for the remand of the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero clarified that the return of Duterte’s impeachment to the House is not a dismissal or termination of the impeachment case against the Vice President. The Senate President who acts as the presiding officer of the impeachment court also stressed that summons will be sent to Duterte as a proof that the impeachment case continues.
In her response to the summons sent by the Senate impeachment court, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte requested for the dismissal of the impeachment case against her. According to her, the impeachment document is “nothing more than a scrap of paper”.
One of the senators who believe that the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte must push through is Sen. JV Ejercito. However, based on a report on PhilStar, the lawmaker warned about the trial’s possible impact on the economic agenda of the government.
Sen. JV Ejercito told dzBB that the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will affect the country “whether we like it or not”. According to him, his concern is the possibility that the trial will affect the nation’s attraction of foreign investments.
“My worry here is foreign direct investments, which we are longing for – these are what bring in businesses – invest in power plants, railway systems, and airports. All of these might have to take a backseat for a while,” he said.
According Sen. JV Ejercito who is currently the Senate deputy majority leader, they can still hold regular plenary sessions at 3:00 p.m. but the national focus may be on the impeachment hearings prior to it. Meanwhile, he stressed that holding the trial is a duty of the senators under the law.
Sen. JV Ejercito also blames the House of Representatives for the alleged delay in the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on the report, he stressed that the lower chamber allegedly had all the time but they were allegedly late in submitting it to the Senate.
“They had all the time. Why do it at the last minute?” Ejercito said.
Several senators and former senators were unsatisfied by the recent developments on the impeachment case against Duterte and how the Senate handled it. As for Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, the impeachment court can allegedly dismiss Duterte’s case by a simple majority vote.