Senators Under Trial Amid Vice President Impeachment
Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong issued a stern warning on Tuesday, June 17, highlighting that senators presiding as judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte are themselves under trial by the public. This observation arose after he noticed some senators, expected to be impartial, displaying clear biases favoring the accused official.
“Hindi lang ang under scrutiny or under trial ang ating Vice president,” Adiong emphasized during a press conference. “It’s not only the Vice President who is under scrutiny or under trial; the Senate in itself is also under trial by the people.”
He urged the senator-judges to maintain impartiality and allow the House prosecution panel to present its evidence fully and fairly. Last week, when the impeachment court convened, certain senators openly sided with the Vice President, even pushing for the immediate dismissal of the case.
Call for Fair Trial and Evidence Review
Adiong stressed, “Ang position namin, the only way to move forward is to either acquit or convict.” He added, “Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ebidensya na sumulong, at ma appreciate natin itong mga ebidensya bago tayo mag arrive sa judgment.” This means giving the evidence a chance to be thoroughly presented and understood before making any decision.
Positive Step: New Spokesperson Appointment
On a brighter note, Adiong welcomed the designation of lawyer Antonio “Audie” Bucoy as the official spokesperson for the House prosecution team. He believes having a single, clear source of information is vital, given the public’s intense interest in the proceedings.
“It’s a step forward. It’s a good development as far as impeachment is concerned,” Adiong said. “Kasi para mas maganda, mas malinaw, mas effective ang communication line.”
Bucoy’s legal background is a significant advantage, enabling him to translate complex legal terms into language the general public can grasp easily. “It’s a positive development na [that] we have an official spokesperson to elucidate further what would be the discussions in the impeachment proceedings,” Adiong noted.
For more news and updates on senators under trial, visit Filipinokami.com.