Enrile notes Senate cannot disqualify Drilon from impeachment trial

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Friday said that the impeachment cannot disqualify Senator Franklin Drilon from the proceedings, even if defense is accusing him pf bias against their client.   "Hindi puwede. He is an elected representative of the people. Under the Constitution, he is entitled to seat in all proceedings of the Senate unless he is removed in accordance with our rules on ethics," Enrile told reporters in an interview on Friday. Enrile made the statement after the defense panel asked for Drilon to inhibit from the proceedings for being an "ally" of the prosecution panel. The defense panel claimed that the first witness, Supreme Court clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal, would have not turned over Corona's Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2002-2010 to the Senate without Drilon's intervention.   Defense lawyers said that Drilon also "displayed his partiality" when he ferreted out the information from a register of deeds that Corona was the "beneficial owner" of his daughter’s property.   However, Enrile noted the ball is with Drilon on whether or not he will withdraw from the trial.   "It's up to him.  I don’t know, I will not deal with that," he said.   Drilon already said he will not inhibit from the trial because the call from defense was "baseless."  — VS, GMA News