QUEZON CITY, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin cautioned the public on Saturday against making assumptions about senators whose legal or personal issues affect their participation in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Speaking at a media forum on Saturday, September 19, Garin urged against labeling absent lawmakers as automatic allies of Duterte or assuming they oppose her conviction.
”Napakahirap kasi i-prejudge sila that they are on the side of the Vice President na hindi naman sila ang mismong nagsasabi,” Garin stated.
The statement comes amid ongoing absences among several senator-judges due to distinct legal and personal circumstances:
- Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta remain detained over separate plunder cases.
- Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has skipped Senate sessions following an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Senator Loren Legarda is currently on medical leave abroad while facing an Office of the Ombudsman investigation alongside her son, Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.
Garin stressed that conclusions should only be drawn once members of the Senate explicitly declare their positions on the matter.
”Siguro kapag sila ay talagang nagsalita openly at sinabi nila, ‘Ito yung kanilang paninindigan,’ doon na tayo magko-comment because we cannot put words in their mouth,” Garin explained.
The attendance of senator-judges remains a critical factor in the trial, as the Senate—sitting as an impeachment court—has yet to resolve whether the constitutionally mandated two-thirds vote required for conviction should be computed based on the full 24-member body or adjusted according to active, participating members.