Risa Hontiveros to Tongol: ‘You don’t reflect the voice of all senator-judges’

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday criticized Senate impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol over his recent remarks regarding the proceedings on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte.  

To recall, Hontiveros had urged Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who sits as presiding officer of the impeachment court, to already conduct the oath-taking of the new senators in the 20th Congress who will serve as judges in the impeachment trial.

Tongol, in response, said that there will be no oath-taking of new senators-judges until the 20th Congress begins session and a new Senate President gets elected.

He also said that the reconvening of the impeachment court is dependent on the compliance of the House of Representatives to the requirements set by the impeachment court when it first convened on June 10. 

Hontiveros, however, emphasized that Tongol does not represent the position of all the senator-judges in the trial, including hers, but only of Escudero. 

“Atty. Tongol is entitled to speak in his own capacity, but, with all due respect, he does not reflect the voice of the Senate,” the lawmaker said.

“As a deliberative body, the strength of the Senate is in its collective judgement. Based on his statements at a recent press conference, he represents only the position of the Presiding Officer. But he does not represent mine, as one of the Senator-Judges,” she added. 

GMA News Online sought a comment from Tongol, and will update this story once he responds. 

The Senate impeachment court spokesperson earlier pointed out that the swearing in of the new senator-judges depend on the existence of a presiding officer or a Senate president. 

Since a new Congress is set to open, Escudero may either be reelected or get replaced as the top leader of the upper chamber come the 20th Congress. 

Hontiveros said that senator-judges should be allowed to decide on the impeachment process only when they are properly convened as a court. 

“Hindi tugma ang matagal na nilang sinasabi na hindi pwedeng mag-convene at gumalaw ang Impeachment Court hanggang magsimula ang 20th Congress. Ngunit sa kabilang banda, dinidesisyunan na nila— unilaterally— ang mga panuntunan sa Impeachment Court,” she lamented. 

(What they are saying that the Impeachment Court cannot convene and act until the 20th Congress begins is inconsistent. On the other hand, they are already deciding unilaterally on the rules of the Impeachment Court.) 

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The Senate impeachment court convened on June 10, with the senator-judges later on voting to return to the House of Representatives the articles of impeachment against Duterte without dismissing or terminating them.—AOL, GMA Integrated  News