Manila 3rd District Representative and House prosecutor Joel Chua suggested that the recent instability within the Senate may be a deliberate strategy by Vice President Sara Duterte’s allies to disrupt or postpone her upcoming impeachment trial.
Speaking during a media forum on June 13, Chua pointed out that the timing of highly disruptive events in the upper chamber—specifically a sudden leadership change and a reported shooting incident—strongly coincides with pivotal milestones in the House of Representatives’ impeachment timeline.
“Tingin ko po, right from the very beginning, yun naman talaga yung kanilang strategy. Dahil kung titignan po ninyo yung pagkakasunod-sunod ng pagkakataon, nung araw po na kami po ay nagbobotohan sa plenaryo para po sa impeachment, yun din yung araw kung saan nagkagulo po yung leadership ng Senado,” Chua remarked.
The lawmaker further highlighted the suspicious timing of a security threat that emerged right as the House prepared to pass the formal charges to the upper house.
“’Yung araw naman po na itatransmit po yung articles of impeachment sa Senado, yun din yung araw kung saan nagkaroon ng barilan din sa Senado.”
While acknowledging that these assertions are currently speculative, Chua stated that multiple political observers are connecting the dots. He noted that the chaos appears calculated to divert public focus from the core controversies surrounding the Vice President.
“Marami po ang nagsasabi na baka may connection din. Baka talagang gusto nilang malihis ‘yung totoong issue po dito sa impeachment,” he said.
Despite the institutional friction, Chua affirmed that the House prosecution panel remains committed to following constitutional protocols. He added that the Senate President traditionally leads impeachment trials for top government officials.
Clarifying the panel’s position on the contested leadership in the upper chamber, Chua confirmed their recognition of the current leadership structure under Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
“Well… basta’t kami po sa parte po namin, sa House at sa prosecution panel, ang nire-recognize po namin ay yung leadership po ngayon ni Sen. Win Gatchalian.“