Prosecutor: No need to ask House if it will pursue Sara Duterte impeachment

A member of the prosecution panel said Friday the Senate impeachment court need not ask the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress to certify whether it is still interested to pursue the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Bukidnon Representative Jonathan Keith Flores said the House will act on its own if it is no longer interested to pursue the proceedings.

"This is my personal opinion. If the House so decides not to pursue it anymore, it will act without necessarily, without waiting for the Senate to ask it, ask for it to withdraw or continue. The House on its own will act. Hindi na kailangan na pagsabihan pa na magdesisyon nga kayo (There is no need to tell them to decide) whether you want to continue it or not," he said in an interview.

"May movement 'yan sa House. May either somebody brings it up and discuss it na iuurong na ba natin or not. Something like that, no? That's possible. It's not necessarily in the rules but ang presumption kasi is like, finile na 'yan eh. So bakit n'yo pa tatanungin kung gusto pa namin or hindi?" he added.

(There will be movement in the House. Either somebody will bring it up and discuss if they will withdraw the impeachment case or not. Something like that. That's possible. It's not necessarily in the rules but the presumption is it has already been filed so why ask if we will pursue it or not.)

The legislator, however, said it is unlikely that the House will change its stand on the impeachment.

"I'm almost certain na wala gaanong changes (that there will be no changes). Baka I haven't even heard of people talking about not wanting it. So the rest of the discussions really is not centered on to ipatuloy ba (we will pursue it) or not. Because everyone's assuming already na itutuloy talaga (that we will pursue it)," Flores said.

When asked if there was a constitutional or legal basis for the Senate impeachment court's requirement, Flores replied, "Ako, I find no basis eh. Kasi once it is filed, nandyan na yan, di ba? It's already in the Senate, whether it's the 19th Congress or the 20th Congress. It's already there. Parang bakit mo pa itatanong e we filed it nga."

But Flores said the House prosecution panel will comply with the impeachment court's requirement.

"Para ang akin lang naman is like kung ibase mo siya sa experience ng isang abogado, pag may order 'yung korte, kahit na gaano mo ka, no matter how wrong or stup*d that order is, you still usually end up complying just to satisfy the court. Para at least wala na masabi si court," he said.

(For me, based on the experience of a lawyer, if the court orders, no matter how wrong or stup*d that order is, you still usually end up complying just to satisfy the court.) 

"So I'm almost certain that the House will comply," he added.

Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno earlier warned that the certification may impair the prosecution's case.

The House already submitted the first required certification that the complaint complied with the one-year ban on subsequent impeachment complaints and that it followed the Constitution.

The House under the 20th Congress has yet to submit the second certification concerning its willingness to prosecute.

In June, the Senate impeachment court ordered to return the Articles of Impeachment to the House pending the issuance of the two certifications.

Impeachment court

Senate impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol, meanwhile, maintained that the court is not in conflict with either the House of Representatives or any party.

“While we understand that opinions may vary on the merit of the Impeachment Court’s orders, it is important to emphasize that these directives are issued with full public deliberation—mindful of the gravity and dignity that the Constitution demands,” Tongol said in a statement.

“The Impeachment Court is not in conflict with either the House or any party. It simply asks that all participants—prosecution, defense, and public alike—engage the process with mutual respect for the rule of law,” he added.

Tongol previously said that the reconvening of the impeachment court is dependent on the compliance of the House with the requirements set by the impeachment court when it first convened on June 10.

He also said that there will be no oath-taking of the new senators in the 20th Congress who will serve as judges in the impeachment trial until the 20th Congress begins session and a new Senate President gets elected.

This got the ire of Senator Risa Hontiveros, who said that Tongol does not represent the position of all the senator-judges in the trial, including hers, but only of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who sits as presiding officer of the impeachment court. —With Giselle Ombay/AOL, GMA Integrated News