Legal experts: Senator-judges not being biased, just doing their job

Amid criticism that some senator-judges were showing their biases during the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, two legal experts on Monday noted the lawmakers are just doing their job.   In separate interviews with GMA News Online, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) spokesperson Trixie Angeles and litigation lawyer Gener Asuncion said it was the job of the senator-judges to ask the witnesses and both camps clarificatory questions.   "This is not an ordinary trial. We have to give them some elbow room, many of them are not lawyers, they really have to dig into this," said Angeles.   The judges have the right to ask questions, Asuncion likewise said.   "The facts that they want to hear might not have been testified by the witness when they were asked by the prosecutors," he said.   "Hindi porke ang senador nagtanong, biased na ang senador," he added.   Section XVII of the impeachment rules states that, "If a senator wishes to put a question to a witness, he/she shall do so within two minutes. A senator may likewise put a question to a prosecutor or counsel. He/she may also offer a motion or order, in writing, which shall be submitted to the Presiding Officer."   Section III, however, says, "Senators shall observe political neutrality during the course of the impeachment trial. “Political neutrality” shall be defined as exercise of public official’s duty without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference."   Speculations about the senators' biases came after the defense panel said last week they may ask some "partisan senator-judges" to inhibit from the impeachment trial.   While the defense did not identify the "partisan" senator-judges then, a Philippine Daily Inquirer report on Monday specifically named Senator Franklin Drilon.   During last week's impeachment proceedings, Drilon made Supreme Court clerk of court Atty. Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal admit that she was in possession of Corona’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).    Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile eventually ordered her to  surrender them to the Senate.   Drilon also made Taguig-Pateros Register of Deeds Randy Rutaquio admit that Corona was the attorney-in-fact of his daughter Charina in the transfer of his Taguig property to her.   On Monday, Drilon maintained that the inhibition call was baseless because he was only asking questions to ferret out the "truth."   Asuncion backed Drilon, saying that if he hadn't asked Vidal questions, the impeachment court wouldn't have been able to get Corona's SALNs.   "Kung di lumabas ang SALN na ‘yan paano nila malalaman ang gusto nila malaman," he said.   Angeles, for his part, said it is up to the public to judge the senators.   "We're not gonna say if his [Drilon's] behavior is biased or not. But since the public has reacted, I expect that the senators will be more careful," he said.   "If there is a sufficient public outcry, I think the senator-jurors [would be] aware of their behavior's effect.  If the public loses faith in the system... then the whole process falls apart," she added.   Angeles is also the head of the IBP Impeachment Watch, which aims to help the public understand the impeachment proceedings.  She said they will soon launch a Twitter account for updates about the trial. — VS/HS, GMA News