NBI cases vs VP Duterte won鈥檛 affect impeachment flow 鈥� Escudero
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) filing of criminal cases against Vice President Sara Duterte will not affect the impeachment proceedings to be done by the Senate.
This was according to Senate President Chiz Escudero who explained on Wednesday that the two proceedings may even be conducted simultaneously.
“This will not affect the impending impeachment proceedings. This has no bearing to that. In fact, that can be done simultaneously — it can go on first or follow. It has not bearing to the impeachment proceedings to be conducted by the Senate,” Escudero told reporters speaking partly in Filipino.
But according to Escudero, they will not use the same evidence to be presented in court.
“This will not be collected by the Senate. An impeachment court, like any court, is a passive body. We will not do anything. This is not like a regular Senate investigation where we can issue a subpoena for certain evidences or witnesses to appear,” said Escudero in Filipino.
Article continues after this advertisement“It is the job of each side of prosecution and defense,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementThe NBI’s decision to file criminal charges against Duterte sprang out of the latter’s previous remark claiming that she hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she gets killed first.
READ: NBI files criminal cases vs VP Duterte for threatening Marcos
But the Vice President, on February 7, denied making a personal threat to the life of the President.
“I did not make an assassination threat to the President. Sila lang ang may sabi nyan,” she said then.
Included in the Articles of Impeachment filed against Duterte was the alleged assassination threat she made against the country’s chief executive.
