Duterte allies won't block Senate convening as impeachment court — Bong Go

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go said Monday the Duterte allies in the Senate will not block the Senate from convening as an impeachment court once it receives the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte from the House of Representatives.

Go said the convening as an impeachment court is part of the constitutional mandate of the Senate.

"Wala pong ganoong usapan at hindi po kami nag-uusap na maghaharang po ng convening," the senator told reporters.

(We had no such talks. We never talked about blocking the convening.)

Senator Robinhood Padilla last week said the minority bloc may oppose the convening of the impeachment court. However, other bloc members, including Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Imee Marcos, earlier denied his remarks, saying they have yet to discuss the possible blocking of the convening.

"It's our mandate, obligasyon naman natin ito. Kaya nga po tayo may constitution na dapat sundin," Go said.

(It's our mandate and obligation because that is part of our role under the constitution.)

"Meron tayong mandato na dapat sundin kung umabot dito. Kailangan naming gampanan ang aming trabaho bilang senator-judge and to be impartial at lumabas yung katotohanan," he added.

(We have a mandate to follow. We need to comply with our job as senator-judges and to be impartial so we can unearth the truth.)

The House is expected to take up and vote on the committee report approved by the House Committee on Justice, which found probable cause to impeach Duterte over allegations related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds and other accusations, on Monday, May 11.

A vote of at least one-third or 106 of all the 318 House members is required for Duterte to be impeached.

Backtracked?

In a separate statement, Padilla seemed to have backtracked from his previous statement, saying no senator can legally oppose the convening under the Constitution.

"Anong isyu? Walang isyu sa amin na minority. Hindi namin pwede baluktutin o baliin ang Saligang Batas!" he said on Facebook.

(What's the issue? We have no issue in the minority. We cannot circumvent or not follow the Constitution.)

"Maari kaming magsagawa ng mga pamamaraan katulad ng talumpati laban sa impeachment hanggat hindi pa kami natitipon bilang mga hukom! At para sabihin na papalitan namin ang liderato ng Senado para pigilin ang impeachment court, hindi po mangyayari yun. Walang ganon sa Saligang Batas," he added.

(We can do different ways to air our opposition including delivering a privilieg speech against the impeachment until such time we convene. As for talks of Senate coup to block it, that is not true. That will not happen. There is no such thing under the Constitution.) — RSJ, GMA News