Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro has expressed confusion over Senator Robin Padilla’s logic in attempting to prevent the Senate from convening as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
Luistro, who chairs the House Committee on Justice, reacted to Padilla’s recent declaration that the Senate minority bloc would block the trial simply because they represent the political opposition.
“I respect Senator Robin but his statement is quite difficult to understand. We respect Senator Robin Padilla. But in the absence of reason, of basis why the impeachment court should not be convened, I think it will be very difficult to understand why they will move not to convene. Dapat ilatag muna nila ano bang dahilan,” Luistro said.
The lawyer-lawmaker pointed out that being part of the opposition is not a legal or logical basis to stall a constitutional process.
She noted that in the House of Representatives, both the majority and minority blocs—the latter being the chamber’s traditional opposition—are united in supporting the ouster of the Vice President through impeachment.
“Because his (Padilla) reason na just because they are opposition, they will be going against convening the impeachment court or going against the impeachment. That’s very difficult to understand,” she added.
As the House prepares to vote on the articles of impeachment as early as Monday’s plenary session, Luistro reminded her colleagues in the upper chamber that the process serves a higher purpose than party loyalty.
“This is a political exercise. What is at stake is the best interest of the sovereign Filipino people,” Luistro noted.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Senate is mandated to convene as an impeachment court and begin the trial immediately upon receiving the articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives.