Malacañang on Monday asserted that the responsibility of conducting a fair impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte rests solely with the Senate, while firmly reiterating that public officials must face accountability for any alleged wrongdoing.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified that the Executive branch will strictly maintain its distance from the proceedings, honoring the constitutional boundary between co-equal branches of government.
“Alam naman po natin ang impeachment trial ay trabaho po ito at mandato po ito ng Senado. Hindi po kailangan na makialam ang Pangulo sa sinabing mandato ng Senado dahil mayroon po tayong separation of powers,” Castro said during a Palace press briefing.
(“We all know that the impeachment trial is the job and mandate of the Senate. The President does not need to interfere with the said mandate of the Senate because we have a separation of powers.”)
The statement coincided with the Senate’s scheduled convening on Monday afternoon to formally organize itself into an impeachment court. The development follows the House of Representatives’ decision last week to impeach Duterte for a second time, citing grounds that include the alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and high-profile threats made against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the First Family.
Castro emphasized that holding individuals accountable is a principle that both the senator-judges and the broader public must uphold.
“Ang dapat lang po sigurong lagi nating tandaan hindi lamang ang Senado, hindi lang sa Senado at senador kung hindi tayo mismong mga Pilipino – ang dapat na managot ayon nga sa Pangulo ay dapat na managot,” she explained.
(“What we should probably always remember—not just the Senate, not just the Senate and the senators, but we Filipinos ourselves—is that those who need to be held accountable, according to the President, must be held accountable.”)
In an apparent swipe at the upper chamber following the reported escape of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa—who faces an active arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC)—Castro warned against enabling those evading the law.
“So, huwag na lamang siguro maging daan ang sinuman sa pagtakas ng mga dapat na managot,” Castro added.
(“So, let no one perhaps become an avenue for the escape of those who should be held accountable.”)
With the Articles of Impeachment officially transmitted by the House, the Senate, under the new leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, is constitutionally bound to move forward with the historic trial.