Senate Spokesperson Rejects Lawyering Claims
MANILA, Philippines — Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol firmly denied allegations of lawyering for Vice President Sara Duterte. Tongol made this clear following accusations from the House prosecution panel’s spokesperson, Antonio Bucoy, who claimed Tongol suggested a legal strategy for Duterte.
Bucoy’s claim stemmed from Tongol’s statement: “If I were the vice president, I will file a motion to dismiss.” However, Tongol explained that his remarks were not intended to favor any party but were based on legal experience and common sense.
Legal Experience Guides Tongol’s Comments
“If a person is hungry, you’ll say, ‘Oh, you’re hungry? What’s the next step then? Of course, you’ll eat if you’re hungry.’ With us, lawyers, it’s the same thing. If a certain motion is filed, we already know what they’re going to file next,” Tongol said in Filipino during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
He emphasized, “That’s not lawyering for one party. This is based on our experience as a lawyer, as already corroborated by other lawyers in other fields.”
Maintaining Court’s Integrity Amid Tensions
When asked about any conflict between himself and Bucoy, Tongol responded calmly, “We’re not picking fights. I’m just protecting the dignity of the court.”
He added, “Nothing good will come out of destroying the credibility of the court… You may not respect some of the individual senator-judges. But, the institution itself, the institutional independence of the Senate as an impeachment court must be respected.”
Charges Against Vice President Duterte
Vice President Sara Duterte faces serious charges including culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. These accusations particularly focus on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
Tongol noted that Duterte has until Monday night to respond to the summons issued by the Senate impeachment court.
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