Three members of the House of Representatives have strongly criticized the legal maneuvers of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team, following their latest petition to the Supreme Court seeking a freeze on the ongoing Senate impeachment trial.
Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon, who serves on the House prosecution panel, questioned the necessity of filing multiple appeals, arguing that the true battleground has already shifted to the legislature.
“Alam po yung, ilang petition na yun, ilang motion na yun. Hindi po pa ba sila naawa sa puno, nagsasayang sila ng papel. Kasi ang totoo naman po ang lunsaran po na ang laban na po ay wala na ho sa Korte Suprema, andito na po sa Senado,” Ridon remarked during a Tuesday press conference.
La Union Representative Paolo Ortega echoed this sentiment, taking a swipe at the defense’s objection to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s role as the presiding officer.
Ortega labeled the frequent push for temporary restraining orders (TROs) as a predictable signature of the Duterte camp’s defense strategy.
“Yun kasi ang bread and butter nila mag-file ng TRO (temporary restraining order). So sa tingin ko specialty of the house nila yun. So, of course, wala naman pong pumipigil sa kanila na gawin yung mga ganyang bagay kasi yun nga po ang…. kumbaga kahit nakapikit na po sila expertise na po nila yan. And marapat naman po na mag-file sila kung may mga tanong sila na gusto masagot. Pero, I believe naman na resolve naman po lahat yan nung first day natin,” Ortega noted.
Furthermore, Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, a spokesperson for the prosecution, maintained that the high court should respect the separation of powers and stay out of the Senate’s internal affairs.
Adiong emphasized that the Constitution explicitly gives the upper chamber exclusive jurisdiction over impeachment proceedings, which includes choosing its own leader.
“Sa aking palagay, ito internal na rules ng Senado. Ang impeachment trial ay internal or exclusive na binigay na kapangyarihan ng Senado. So it also follows, logically na ang mga miyembro na hukom, umupong hukom na mga senador sila din ang mag-de-decide kung sino yung magiging presiding officer nila,” Adiong said.
The impeachment court continues its session under the leadership of Escudero, who secured the presiding seat through a majority vote by his fellow senator-judges.