MALACAÑANG yesterday expressed hope the Senate will consider concerns raised by businessmen over delayed proceedings in impeachment complaint case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the business sector, led by the Makati Business Club, has expressed alarm over the delays.
She acknowledged that investors would have concerns about putting their businesses in a country where the top leaders are being accused of corruption.
The impeachment complaint, which was transmitted by the House to the Senate in February, accuses Duterte of graft and corruption in connection with alleged unexplained spending of public funds, culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
Castro said it would be a shame if the economic development, positive outlook and investor confidence that the Philippines currently enjoys are derailed by the impeachment process.
“So, kung pagpapabilis sa impeachment trial at iyon ang nakikita ng business sector, sana bigyan din po ito ng pansin ng Senado (So, if expediting the impeachment trial is what the business sector sees, we hope the Senate can devote attention to their call),” she added.
The Makati Business Club on June 9 asked the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty to convene the impeachment court and proceed with Duterte’s impeachment.
It said it considers the impeachment “as a governance issue and a test of public accountability and the rule of law.”
“If we do not follow the rule of law, how can we expect to attract foreign and even local investors to bring in long term investments, which would lead to the creation of jobs?” MBC said.
The Senate convened the impeachment court on June 10 but the impeachment process was hit by another delay as hours after the court convened, 18 of the 23 senator-judges voted to send the complaint back to the House. The 18 want the House to issue a certification that it did not violate the rule on the one-year ban for filing impeachment complaints, and for the House of the coming 20th Congress to “communicate to the Senate that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.”
The House has deferred acceptance of the Articles of Impeachment after the prosecution panel decided to file a motion for clarification before the Senate.
Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would not intervene or get involved in the impeachment issue and would just focus on governance work.
She added that as far as the President is concerned, the Constitution and Rule of law should prevail.
“I repeat, the President will not intervene in the process of the Senate with regard to the impeachment trial. But, if that’s what businessmen and investors see, they are the experts in this field and know what’s best for our economy,” she said in Filipino.
FOCUS
Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol urged the House prosecution panel to focus its efforts on the impeachment trial instead of criticizing the former.
Tongol, in a press briefing, Tongol said the impeachment court is not the prosecution’s enemy, but the defense.
On Tuesday, lawyer Antonio Bucoy, spokesperson of the House prosecution team, said there is too much foot-dragging on the part of Duterte and of the impeachment court, and this may result in delay in the impeachment trial.
He also warned the Senate against dismissing the impeachment case without trial, saying doing so will be a “betrayal of the Constitution.”
Tongol also said the impeachment proceedings will push through even if Duterte does not comply with the summons issued to her.
“Under the Senate impeachment rules, the impeachment process will continue even if the respondent did not respond or file an answer. The prosecution will still present its evidence but the respondent has already waived his right to submit his defense before the impeachment court,” he said in Filipino.
The Senate sent the summons to Duterte’s office on Wednesday last week.
Duterte has 10 working days to respond to the summon.
MOTION TO JUNK
Tongol said there is a chance Duterte’s camp will seek a dismissal of the impeachment case. This after the defense team submitted an appearance ad cautelam on June 16 to the impeachment court.
Tongol said ad cautelam means taking extra steps to prevent potential problems or risks.
“So, that is the action that we are expecting from the defense by filing an ad cautelam appearance that they will file an either answer with affirmative defense questioning the jurisdiction, or a motion to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction,” he said.
“That is part of the defense tactics, to file a motion to dismiss. Usually, it is part of their arsenal so that the proceedings will not immediately commence by questioning its jurisdiction,” he added. – With Ashzel Hachero
