Drilon links Senate majority absences to VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Wednesday hinted that the continued absence of members of the Senate majority bloc from plenary sessions may be tied to the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking on dzBB Super Radyo, Drilon said the majority senators may be avoiding sessions to prevent a change in Senate leadership, which could affect the conduct of the impeachment trial.

The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to begin proceedings on July 6.

"Hindi nagsi-session dahil ayaw nila na baka mapalitan ang liderato ng Senado. Kapag napalitan ang liderato, may epekto yan sa impeachment trial," Drilon said.

(They are not holding sessions because they do not want the Senate leadership to change. If the leadership changes, that could affect the impeachment trial.)

"Kung hindi magkakaroon ng session at mag-a-adjourn, walang palit ng leadership at pagdating ng July 6 ang kasalukuyang grupo ni Cayetano ang siyang mamumuno at magco-conduct ng trial," he added.

(If there are no sessions and the Senate adjourns, there will be no change in leadership, and by July 6, the current group led by Cayetano will still be the one presiding over the trial.)

The Senate failed to convene for a second consecutive day on Tuesday after members of the majority bloc again opted not to attend the plenary session.

The development prompted minority senators to call for the resignation of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, saying he "can no longer function" amid the continued absence of majority senators.

"Walang ibang rason. Unang-una, itong walang session ay dahilan sa ayaw nila magkaroon ng reorganization," Drilon said.

(There is no other reason. First, the lack of sessions is because they do not want a reorganization.)

"Pangalawa, kaya sinisikap na palitan ang rules sa attendance, ibig nila magkaroon ng kakayahan na bumoto kahit ikaw ay nasa labas ng bansa o kulungan dahilan ang 13 ay importante sa kanila at hindi magagampanan ang 13 kung hindi through absentee voting," he added.

(Second, they are trying to amend the attendance rules because they want the ability to vote even if a senator is outside the country or in detention. Maintaining their 13-member bloc is important to them, and they cannot do that without some form of absentee voting.)

GMA News Online has reached out to Cayetano for comment and will publish his response once available.

Drilon also said Duterte's call for the outright dismissal of her impeachment case is unconstitutional, arguing that the Senate acting as an impeachment court "has no power to dismiss the case."

He said any attempt by the Cayetano-led majority bloc to do so could be challenged before the Supreme Court.

"Puwedeng kwestiyonin sa Supreme Court at yan ay pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan na puwedeng baguhin ng Korte Suprema," he said.

(Those issues can be questioned before the Supreme Court, and any abuse of discretion may be corrected by the Court.)

On Monday, the Vice President, through her legal counsel, formally filed her answer to the Articles of Impeachment and asked the Senate impeachment court to dismiss the case.—MCG, GMA News