Sotto on impeach raps vs. Marcos, Duterte: ‘Nakakahiya sa mundo’

The possibility of having impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte might affect the image of the Philippines on the world stage, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Sunday.

According to Mav Gonzalez’s report in “24 Oras Weekend,” Sotto said he would still prepare if ever both complaints reach the Senate, which will act as the impeachment court. 

“Sana naman huwag ano. Dahil nakakahiya sa mundo… Nevertheless, paghahandaan natin kung sakali. Ako naman ready ako,” he said. 

(I hope it doesn’t come to that. It would be an embarrassment before the world… But regardless, we’ll prepare just in case. As for me, I’m ready.) 

In the scenario that the complaints are transmitted to the upper chamber for trial, Sotto said he has already mapped out a schedule so that it won’t affect the legislative duties of senators. 

“In the morning, from 9 am to 1 pm, legislative work ang Senado. Pagdating ng 3 pm up, e di impeachment court. Kung sakali sinabi nila dalawa, at the very remote possibility, sabay namin dalawa. E di gawin MWF ‘yung isa, TTH, ‘yung isa. Siguro naman majority ng members papayag,” said Sotto. 

(In the morning, from 9 am to 1 pm, the Senate will handle legislative work. From 3 pm onwards, it will function as an impeachment court. In the very remote possibility that both must happen simultaneously, we will do both. We can do one on MWF and the other on TTh. I assume the majority of the members would agree to that.) 

He added that the Senate must act immediately once it receives the articles of impeachment. 

When asked if the impeachment trials would commence immediately, the Senate President said: “Somehow yes parang ganun ‘yun, kasi ire-refer sa Committee on Rules then Rules Committee will take up the rules, take up sa floor ulit, then gagawa ng schedule for the prosecution to present. Tapos pasasagutin ang defense or impeached officer pasasagutin. Pwedeng tuloy na kaagad sa trial yun,” he said. 

(Somehow, yes, it’s like that because it will be referred to the Committee on Rules. Then, the Rules Committee will deliberate on the rules, bring it back to the floor, and create a schedule for the prosecution to present their case. After that, the defense or the impeached officer will be asked to file their response. From there, it could proceed directly to the trial.) 

For his part, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the impeachment proceedings against the two highest leaders in the country would be divisive for the country. 

“Dapat pag isipan mabuti ng mababang kapulungan, tingnan mabuti yung ebidensya dahil kung pampultika lang, talagang masisira tayo,” he said. 

(The lower chamber should think it over carefully and examine the evidence thoroughly, because if this is just about politics, it will truly ruin us.) 

Gatchalian also believed that former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co is not credible to testify in the impeachment case against Marcos. 

“Kung gusto niya talagang tumulong, dapat matagal na siyang umuwi dito,” he said. 

(If he really wanted to help, he should have come home here a long time ago.) 

Meanwhile, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said the first impeachment complaint against Marcos will be referred to the House Committee on Justice within the next two weeks.

However the second and third complaints filed by BAYAN and other former government officials remain in limbo. 

“Yung ikatlong impeachment complaint, walang lumitaw na endorser na House member. Sa tingin ko hindi ‘yun talagang malalatag as part of the order of business at mare-refer sa House Committee on Justice. So yung sa ikalawang impeachment complaint lang po yung magkakaroon ng aktwal na debate sa Korte, kung constructively filed o mali ba na hindi na tinanggap ng House Office of the Secretary General kahit wala si SecGen nung araw na ‘yun,” he said.

(Regarding the third impeachment complaint, no House member came forward as an endorser. I don’t think it will actually be included in the order of business or referred to the House Committee on Justice. So, it is only the second impeachment complaint that will have an actual debate in Court, specifically on whether it was constructively filed or if it was wrong for the House Office of the Secretary General to refuse to accept it, even though the SecGen wasn’t there that day.)  

The House Makabayan bloc, which endorsed the second impeachment complaint, said House Secretary General Cheloy Gerafil will be able to formally receive the complaint at 10 a.m. of Monday and include it in the order of business in the afternoon. 

“We are returning on Monday to ensure there are no more excuses. Bumalik na ang Secretary General mula sa Taiwan, kaya wala nang dahilan para hindi tanggapin ang complaint (The Secretary General is back from Taiwan, so there’s no reason not to accept the complaint),” said ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio in a statement on Sunday.

“We hope that there would be no more excuses on the part of the House in accepting the complaint and further obstructing efforts toward accountability. Tama na ang delaying tactics (Enough of delaying tactics) – the Filipino people deserve answers, and the Constitution demands action,” he added.

Ridon, on the other hand, said the Supreme Court must first resolve the motion for reconsideration filed by the House on the impeachment complaint against Duterte. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News