Solons to Senate: Heed public sentiment, begin impeachment trial now

Several members of the House of Representatives today called on the Senate impeachment court to start the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, as they agreed with the result of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that 44% of respondents believe the upper chamber is delaying the proceedings.

The survey also showed that 22% were undecided, 25% do not believe, and 9% do not know enough. 

"Malinaw na malinaw 'yung utos ng Saligang Batas na pag naihain na yung verified complaint sa Senado na may pirma ng one-third or at least one-third ng members ng House. Walang ibang puwedeng gawin ang Senado, kundi ituloy na yung paglilitis ng kaso o to conduct the trial forthwith. And that is one thing we've been waiting for, for a long time. Sana mangyari na siya," Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, who is expected to join the House prosecution panel, told reporters in an ambush interview.

"Matagal na namin sinasabi na kahit anong gawin ng Senado na hindi sumusunod sa utos ng saligang batas ay lumalabag sa ating Konstitusyon. And that is, to me, a very clear conclusion that we have to draw from what's happening because it has been so many months since the verified complaint which is now the Articles of Impeachment have been filed and up to now, there is yet no trial," Diokno added.

Another House member shared the same sentiment.

"Malinaw na malinaw po na talaga nagkakaroon ng delay, nagkakaroon ng dribbling. Kung ano-anong mga invented technicalities at invented issues ang ginagawa nila. Nakikita yan ng taong bayan kasi ang taong bayan ay gising. Talagang interesado sila sa mga ganyang mga usapin," said ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, who is also being eyed as a prosecutor in the trial.

The same SWS survey also showed that 32% agreed with the impeachment complaint, 18% were undecided, and 42% disagreed.

"Ang masasabi ko naman doon ay hindi po labanan ng surveys o ng ratings, ng popularity. Ang importante kung ano ang inuutos ng Konstitusyon. Matagal na ho tayong naghihintay ng tamang aksiyon ng Senado," de Lima said.

A member of the prosecution panel agreed with the results of the survey and said the sentiment of the 44% may have been borne out of frustration from several months of waiting for the trial.

"I think with our interpretation of the word forthwith, medyo na-frustrate ang ating mga kababayan that we did not proceed right away to trial. And then when we resumed, I believe that most of the Filipinos were expecting already that there would be a trial and yet hindi rin po natuloy," Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said.

Luistro, however, does not want to impute malice on what is happening in the impeachment court. She stressed that the House panel is ready anytime.

"I wish to give them the benefit of the doubt with respect to their intention on all the delays in the impeachment trial. But as to the delay, meron tayong kasabihan:  justice delayed is justice denied. But then, as far as the prosecution team is concerned, we remain ready in proceeding to the trial of this impeachment case," she said.

Luistro is confident that once the impeachment trial starts, the public, especially those against the impeachment complaint, will change their stand on the issue.

"It has been our position and humble submission, we have ample and strong evidence supporting the seven Articles of Impeachment. And we honestly believe that once we are allowed to proceed to the presentation of evidence, a lot of Filipinos will be watching and will be basing their respective position on the evidence that they will be seeing during the trial. That is why it is very important that we proceed to trial," she said.

Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña also said the people are waiting to see the evidence against Duterte, thus, the trial should begin.

"This delay is not just about people waiting to see the evidence. This is about people expecting the Senate to do its job," he said.

Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said the undecided in the survey want to see the evidence.

"Marami pa ring undecided, talagang inaantay pa rin yung gusto nilang mapanood - yung magkaroon ng impeachment trial so hindi tayo pupuwedeng, hindi natin puwedeng panghawakan ang survey na yan kasi napakarami pa rin talagang undecided na talagang gustong mapanood at gustong makita kung ano talaga nilalaman na ebidensya na ipepresenta ng prosecutor," he said.

Duterte, commenting on the SWS survey, said those who disagreed with the impeachment complaint are seeing that it is just political persecution, which members of the House debunked.

"If they are so confident about the survey, then why are they still pushing for the dismissal of the impeachment case?" Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.

"Kung walang ebidensya, that is political prosecution. Pero kung may ebidensya, that is a legitimate prosecution. As far as we are concerned, we have ample and strong evidence supporting the Seven Articles of Impeachment," Luistro added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News