Senator-judges must be fair, impartial in impeachment trial — Gatchalian

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Friday his fellow senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte must act with fairness and impartiality. 

Gatchalian made the remark when asked about his colleagues Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla joining Duterte in Malaysia for an Independence Day event on Thursday. 

"Alam naman ng mga senator-judges 'yung kanilang mga tungkulin sa ilalim ng impeachment court. Kapag binasa natin 'yung rules of impeachment, ilang beses nakasulat doon na dapat maging pantay, dapat maging impartial, dapat walang kinikilingan. 'Pagpasok ng impeachment court, itong mga prinsipyong ito ay dapat naming gawin at dapat nating isapuso at isaisip dahil importante na maging pantay tayo o impartial, at 'yan ay madiin na isinulat sa rules of impeachment," said Gatchalian in an interview on Unang Balita. 

(The senator-judges know their responsibilities as part of the impeachment court. If we read the rules of impeachment, it was mentioned there several times that we should be fair and impartial. Once we enter the impeachment court, we must practice, keep in our hearts these principles because it's important for us to be fair and impartial.) 

During the event with overseas Filipino workers in Kuala Lumpur, Padilla went on stage and declared Duterte as the next president of the country. 

Marcos, on the other hand, joked about incidents during the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court.

"Higit sa lahat, kamuntik nang buntalin si Senator Joel Villanueva. Maisug kami talaga. Ako nasigawan ko si Risa Hontiveros. Sorry ha, pasensya," Marcos said.

(Most of all, Senator Joel Villanueva was almost punched. We're really brave. I shouted at [Senator] Risa Hontiveros. Sorry about that.)

Articles of impeachment 

Voting 18 to 5, the Senate moved to return to the House of Representatives the articles of impeachment against Duterte without dismissing or terminating them. 

Senator-judges asked 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.

The House on Wednesday night certified that Duterte's impeachment complied with the 1987 Constitution. 

The House plenary also deferred acceptance of the articles of impeachment until the Senate impeachment court has responded to the queries sought by the House prosecution panel regarding the matter.

Public trust

Gatchalian was one of the five senators who voted against the return of the articles of impeachment back to the House. 

"Dapat maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan na hindi pa natin pinag-uusapan 'yung kaso mismo. Hindi pa natin pinag-uusapan kung guilty o not guilty 'yung akusado. Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ay 'yung proseso," said Gatchalian, explaining his "no" vote.  

(Our countrymen must understand that we are not yet discussing the case itself. We are not yet discussing whether the accused is guilty or not guilty. What we are discussing here is the process.) 

"Dahil sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas, 'pag na-transmit na sa Senado yug articles of impeachment, wala ng choice ang Senado kung hindi ipagpatuloy na 'yung trial," Gatchalian said. 

(Under the Constitution, once the articles of impeachment have been transmitted to the Senate, the Senate has no choice but to continue the trial.) 

Further, Gatchalian said that he wants the trial to be on schedule to gain the public’s confidence in the Senate. 

"'Yun 'yung ayaw kong mangyari, 'yung mawala 'yung tiwala ng taong bayan pagdating sa mandato ng Senado at gusto natin mayroon silang kumpyansa," he said. 

(That's what I don't want to happen, that the people lose their trust when it comes to the Senate's mandate, and we want them to have confidence.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News