Koko Pimentel: Marcos should be 'hands off' in impeachment talks

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Tuesday said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. should remain "hands off" when it comes to discussions on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as the Chief Executive has no role in the matter. 

Pimentel said this when asked in a press conference if he thinks that Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero and other senators would have acted differently had Marcos issued stronger statements regarding Duterte's impeachment, like what late President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III did during the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. 

"Hindi, dapat hands off ang Presidente sa impeachment… 'Pag tinignan natin ang Article XI [of the Constitution], there is no role of the President in the impeachment proceedings. Bakit? Because the President himself or herself is impeachable," the outgoing senator said. 

(No, the President should be hands off in the impeachment... When we look at Article XI of the Constitution, there is nothing stated there that the President has a role in the impeachment proceedings. Why? Because the President himself or herself is impeachable.) 

"Walang role ang Presidente, let us keep it that way. I'm glad that the President is not commenting on the impeachment and even if mag-comment siya, it should not carry any weight sa mga 'impartial' judges of the Senate impeachment court," he added. 

(The President has no role, let us keep it that way. I'm glad that the President is not commenting on the impeachment and even if he does comment, it should not carry any weight to the 'impartial' judges of the Senate impeachment court.) 

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro had clarified that Marcos has not signified intention to facilitate a dialogue between the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding the impeachment proceedings.

Marcos, however, earlier said he was not pushing for the impeachment trial of Duterte in the Senate. The President also believes that Duterte's impeachment trial would not result in political turmoil, reiterating that he did not want the impeachment in the House of Representatives.

Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint against her. 

She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. The Vice President has denied allegations leveled against her. 

The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, on Tuesday last week voted 18-5 to bring Duterte’s case back to the House of Representatives without dismissing or terminating it. — VDV, GMA Integrated News