House defers accepting articles of impeachment; to seek Senate guidance

The House of Representatives will defer the acceptance of the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte while they are seeking clarification from the Senate impeachment court on its requests, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

“We will be seeking for clarification first and that’s why we opted to defer receiving the orders,” Batangas Representative Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro said in a briefing.

This comes after 18 senators on Tuesday voted for the return of the articles to the House. 

The senators are asking the House to certify the non-violation of the one-year ban on impeachment complaints and sought assurance from the 20th Congress that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint.

“We are certain and it is in the face of the impeachment complaint, that we are fully and strictly compliant with the requirements of the Constitution,” Luistro said.

“Pangalawa [Second], they’re asking for reconfirmation of the 20th Congress, whether it will pursue the impeachment complaint against the vice president. How can this order be complied [with] when the 20th Congress does not yet exist?” she later added.

Aside from this, Luistro said they will seek clarification regarding a letter that is circulating on social media that the presentation of articles has been rendered moot.

“That is part of their own rules and we are ready to present the articles. Why suddenly, biglang rendered moot. No less than the rules of the impeachment of the Senate provides for the same,” she said.

Luistro said that the House is not defying or disobeying the impeachment court.

“As soon as we are clarified about the issues surrounding the order of the Senate last night, for as long as they are within the bounds of the law, the prosecution panel will comply,” she said.

The lawmakers also said that it is up to the Office of the Secretary General to receive the articles of impeachment. 

Luistro, meanwhile, earlier welcomed the service of the summons to Duterte, saying this means that the impeachment trial can no longer be stopped as the court has acquired jurisdiction over her.

“Finally, the people of the Philippines will see from the answer of the Vice President what her defenses are,” she said. 

“Isa lamang po ang ibig sabihin nito. ‘Yung pag-acquire po ng jurisdiction ng impeachment court sa ating respondent, kay Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte, it only shows na tuloy na tuloy na ang impeachment trial,” she added.

(This only means one thing. The impeachment court’s acquisition of jurisdiction over our respondent, Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte, only shows that the impeachment trial is definitely moving forward.)

Confident?

When asked about the possibility that the senators would retain their position following the trial, Luistro said the decision of the senators would be hard to preempt.

“Mahirap po isipin o sabihin na ‘yung boto kahapon ay ‘yun na rin ang magiging boto sa impeachment case sapagkat wala pa po ni isang ebidensyang naiilatag ang prosecution,” Luistro said.

(It’s difficult to assume or say that yesterday’s vote will be the same vote in the impeachment case because not a single piece of evidence has been presented yet by the prosecution.)

This was echoed by Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop, who said that he remains hopeful that the senator-judges will rule in their favor.

“You know why? During the Erap impeachment trial, they had the number. Pero bakit nag baliktad? Kasi nakita na ‘yung ebidensya. As the gentle lady from Batangas said, wala pang naipre-presenta na ebidensya,” he said.

(You know why? During the Erap impeachment trial, they had the number. But why did they change their votes? Because the evidence was revealed. As the gentlelady from Batangas said, not a single piece of evidence has been presented yet.)

“Siguro kapag nakita na ng mga tao at saka senator judges ‘yung mga pieces evidence, baka magbago po ang isip nila,” he added. 

(Maybe once the people and the senator-judges see the pieces of evidence, their minds might change.)

Those who voted yes include Senate President Chiz Escudero and Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Robin Padilla, Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Francis Tolentino, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Ramon Revilla Jr., Joel Villanueva, Lito Lapid, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Raffy Tulfo, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The negative votes came from Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, and Senators Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Nancy Binay.

The House prosecutors and lawmakers earlier attended an ecumenical service at the lobby of the lower chamber.

During the mass, Fr. Flavie Villanueva slammed the 18 senators who voted in favor of the return of the articles of impeachment. 

"Ang mga taong humusga, 18 senador, ang mga hudas na mukhang alagad ngunit ang kanilang mga kilos ay balasubas,” he said.

(The people who judged, the 18 senators, are Judases who appear like disciples but act in disgraceful, deceitful ways.)

“Sila ang mga Pilato na may kapangyarihan bilang hari ng Saligang Batas ngunit ginamit ang podor, nag ugas ng kamay, upang imbis ang hari ng katotohanan ang bigyang laya, pinili ang kamatayan at si Barabbas,” he added.

(They are the Pilates who hold power as kings of the Constitution, yet used that power to wash their hands. Instead of granting freedom to the king of truth, they chose death and Barabbas.) — BM, GMA Integrated News