House to begin deliberations on VP Sara impeachment raps next week, March 2

The House committee on justice will start its deliberations on the merits of the four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte on March 2, House justice panel chair and Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro said Tuesday.

Luistro made the announcement a day after the House plenary referred the four impeachment complaints against the Vice President to the House Committee on Justice.

“We are considering to start the deliberation of the Justice Committee on March 2, March 3, and March 4. That is Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, at least for the purpose of determining sufficiency in form and substance,” Luistro told reporters in an interview.

“Of course, we cannot start this week as much as we wanted to take action right away because the Justice Committee needs to reproduce the [copy of the] complaints and provide copies to all the members of the Justice Committee,” Luistro added.

The impeachment complaints accuse the Vice President of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft, and corruption, mainly over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million of confidential funds and using them as supposed bribes and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his immediate family.

The House Committee on Justice will first have to determine the complaints’ sufficiency in form, then in substance. If the complaints hurdle these first two requirements, the Luistro-led panel will ask the respondent, in this case the Vice President, to file her answer within 10 calendar days.

From the answer, the complainants would have the calendar days to file a reply. Should the respondent seek to file a rejoinder, she can do so within three calendar days.

When all of these are done, the House Committee on Justice will proceed to the hearing proper, where the House justice panel invites the complainant, the witnesses, and the respondent.

“Again, her presence in the hearing is part of her right to due process. So, whether she wishes to come or not, it is actually her prerogative. Kung hindi siya darating doon sa hearing, it will be interpreted merely as her waiver of her right to be present during the hearing,” Luistro said.

Likewise, Luistro said that the House rules on impeachment do not provide for allowing the respondent to be represented by his or her legal counsel during the proceedings.

“This [matter] will be decided upon by the members, but I wish to advance, wala po sa [House] rules ang participation ng lawyers. It will only be the members of the Justice Committee who will participate in the deliberation,” Luistro said.

“But if in case there will be intention on the part of the lawyers of the Vice President, this will be decided upon by the members,” Luistro added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News