Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua expressed confidence on Sunday that the Senate will uphold its constitutional duty as it prepares to convene as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
Chua, a member of the House prosecution panel, stated he is giving newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano the “benefit of the doubt” regarding the management of the upcoming proceedings. The Senate is scheduled to formally organize as an impeachment court at 3:00 p.m. Monday, following the House of Representatives’ decisive vote to impeach Duterte with 257 out of 318 members.
The Manila lawmaker emphasized his expectation that Cayetano’s legal background will guide his leadership during the trial.
“Inaasahan naman din natin na ang ating bagong Senate president, bilang isang abogado, ay mataas ang kanyang paggalang sa ating Konstitusyon,” Chua said in a radio interview.
(“We also expect that our new Senate president, as a lawyer, has a high respect for our Constitution.”)
“Siguro bigyan muna natin ng benefit of the doubt ang ating bagong halal na Senate president,” he added.
(“Perhaps let us first give our newly elected Senate president the benefit of the doubt.”)
Chua further noted that senator-judges are expected to remain objective and focus strictly on the merits of the case, regardless of initial political alignments.
“Inaasahan po natin na hindi magbabago ang kanilang pagtingin at hindi nito maaapektuhan ang proseso dahil unang-una po, ito ay kanilang constitutional mandate,” he said.
(“We expect that their perspective will not change and it will not affect the process because first and foremost, this is their constitutional mandate.”)
Addressing concerns over the current numbers required for a conviction in the upper chamber, Chua pointed out that historic impeachment trials similarly started with uncertain numbers before evidence was formally presented. He cited the 2012 conviction of former Chief Justice Renato Corona as a prime example of how gravity of evidence can shift senatorial votes.
“Sa lahat ng mga naging impeachment trial, nagsimula talaga lahat ng walang sapat na bilang,” Chua explained.
(“In all past impeachment trials, everything really started without the sufficient number [of votes].”)
“Ang pagkaka-alam ko noong panahon ni Chief Justice Corona, nagsimula sila na pipito lamang ang senador na sang-ayon dito. Pero nung nagkabotohan na, nung naipresenta na lahat ng ebidensya, umabot na siya ng bente,” he added.
(“From what I know during the time of Chief Justice Corona, they started with only seven senators in favor of it. But when the voting happened, when all the evidence had been presented, it reached twenty.”)
As the trial looms, the House prosecution panel is already bracing for aggressive legal challenges aimed at derailing the process. Chua revealed that the team is currently vetting private prosecutors to bolster their legal roster and finalizing the lineup of witnesses who will testify on the Senate floor.