De Lima 'very concerned' over SC order to Congress on VP Sara impeachment

Mamamayang Liberal party-list Representative Leila de Lima on Sunday raised her concern over the Supreme Court’s (SC) directive to Congress regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Pwede 'yang gawing dahilan ng Senado, na out of judicial courtesy sa Supreme Court, para hindi maging moot and academic ang mga issue raised in those 2 petitions, hindi muna sila gagalaw at hihintayin ang final resolution ng mga petisyon na 'yan,” De Lima told Super Radyo dzBB.

(The Senate can use it, out of judicial courtesy to the Supreme Court, to hold off the impeachment, so that the issues raised in those two petitions would not become moot and academic.)

De Lima said the impeachment trial should proceed since Duterte submitted her answer ad cautelam in compliance with the Senate impeachment court order.

“Doon sa mga hinihingi (ng SC), halos wala sa Senado, more sa Kamara (the SC asked more from the House of Representatives than from the Senate). I am very concerned about that,” De Lima said.

The move, De Lima said, seemingly shows that the SC is questioning the process of the House.  

“Hindi kaya sumobra ang pakikialam ng Korte Suprema sa proseso ng impeachment, na nangaling sa House of Representatives?,” the lawmaker said.

(Could the Supreme Court be overstepping by interfering in the impeachment process, which came from the House of Representatives?)

The SC has required the House of Representatives to comment and submit information regarding Duterte’s impeachment, particularly the status of the first three impeachment complaints and the basis and authority of the secretary general to refuse the transmittal of the complaint.

The high court asked whether the members of the House had the time to peruse the charges and evidence on the articles before affixing their consent, and whether it was included in the order of business of the House of Representatives for consideration of the plenary.

Meanwhile, the Senate was asked to provide which committee prepared the draft of the articles of impeachment and when it was completed, and if Duterte was given the opportunity to be heard.

De Lima, a former senator and justice secretary, believes that the impeachment complaint did not violate the one-year bar rule of filing an impeachment case.

“I think malinaw yun na hindi lumabag. Pwedeng lunabag kung halimbawa, yung first complaint ay ni-forward agad sa Speaker (of the House), linagay agad sa order of business and ni-refer sa justice committee, so yung mga susunod na complaints, hindi na pwede,” De Lima explained.

(I think it's clear that there was no violation. There was a violation if, for example, the first complaint had been immediately forwarded to the Speaker, placed on the order of business, and referred to the justice committee, so any subsequent complaints would no longer be allowed.)

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, but the Senate impeachment court voted last June 10 to return the Articles of Impeachment without dismissing or terminating the case.

The House has submitted the first certification confirming its compliance with the one-year ban on impeachment complaints and with the Constitution, but the House 20th Congress has yet to submit the second certification concerning its willingness to prosecute.

Duterte has entered a “not guilty” plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her by the House of Representatives.

The Vice President denied allegations against her, which include bribery, corruption, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, contracting an assassin, and political destabilization. — RF, GMA Integrated News