Senate President’s Role Under Scrutiny in Impeachment Court
House prosecution panel spokesman Antonio Bucoy criticized Senate President Francis Chiz Escudero for dismissing the Philippine Constitution Association’s (PhilCONSA) concerns regarding the Senate impeachment court. Bucoy stressed that it is unfair to disregard the criticism simply because the group’s president is House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Bucoy emphasized the importance of judging arguments on their merit rather than on the personalities involved.
Escudero serves as the presiding judge of the Senate impeachment court handling the complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. This complaint originated from the House of Representatives, where Speaker Romualdez holds office. Bucoy asked, “Sa palagay, si Speaker Romualdez ay kayang impluensyahan ang pag-iisip ni dating Chief Justice [Reynato] Puno?” (Do you think Speaker Romualdez can influence former Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s thinking?) He answered, “I don’t think so.”
PhilCONSA’s Independent Stance on Senate Proceedings
PhilCONSA, led by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, is a respected association of legal experts and leaders since 1961. Bucoy highlighted that Puno will not and cannot sway the opinion of Speaker Romualdez, just as Romualdez cannot influence Puno’s stance. “My take is that the argument should be merit-based, not personality-based,” Bucoy insisted.
Recently, PhilCONSA’s chairman, Puno, expressed concerns about Senate President Escudero’s potential grave abuse of discretion in the impeachment process. This relates to the Senate impeachment court’s controversial decision to return, or “remand,” the impeachment articles back to the House of Representatives for reconsideration.
Legal Concerns Over ‘Remand’ in Impeachment Proceedings
Bucoy agreed with Puno’s view, stating, “The actions and rulings of Senate President Chiz Escudero, as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, are not found in the Constitution, such as the remand.” He explained that “remand” means sending a case back to a lower court for reconsideration, which does not apply to impeachment cases.
“Walang salitang remand sa impeachment, hindi angkop ang remand sa impeachment,” Bucoy emphasized. (There is no term ‘remand’ in impeachment; it is not appropriate for impeachment proceedings.) He clarified that remanding is used in ordinary court cases but never in impeachment courts.
Calls for Fair Evaluation Beyond Personalities
Bucoy urged that the focus should remain on the substance of the arguments rather than the individuals involved. He said, “Hindi yung personalidad” (It’s not about the personality), underscoring the need for impartiality in the proceedings.
As the impeachment case proceeds, these legal debates underscore the tension between procedural norms and constitutional mandates. The call for merit-based evaluation aims to ensure fairness and uphold the rule of law during this high-profile political process.
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