Lawyer urges SC to deny extension plea in Sara impeachment case

Lawyer Catalino Generillo Jr. has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to deny the motion for extension filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) over the petition he filed regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In his four-page opposition dated May 9, Generillo stressed that the High Court ordered the Senate to comment on his petition within a "non-extendible period" of 10 days.

Moreover, he argued that the motion for extension is prohibited under Section 12 of the 2019 Amendments to the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure.

"Figuratively speaking, the OSG motion is not worth the paper on which it is written," he said.

"Wherefore, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed that the OSG's motion for extension to file comment be denied," he added.

In February, Generillo filed a petition asking the SC to compel the Senate to immediately convene as an impeachment court and begin the trial of Duterte.

Generillo, a former special government counsel of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), argued that the 1987 Constitution does not permit the Senate to delay its duty during recess, stating that it must promptly constitute itself as an impeachment court and try the Vice President.

The SC later directed the Senate to comment on the petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days upon receipt from notice, with SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting saying the petition was treated as "urgent."

The Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were transmitted to the Senate on February 5, the same day the House of Representatives impeached her.

In a message to GMA News Online, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said his office received a copy of the Supreme Court resolution on April 29. The OSG was given 10 days to comment, or until May 9, Guevarra said.

"We asked the court to give us an additional period of 15 days (or until 24 may) due to the heavy workload of the OSG. this request for extension is not unreasonable," he said in a text message.

The Solicitor General added, "at any rate, we will submit our comment before said date." — VDV, GMA Integrated News