(I will follow the law. I will not follow my emotions, or friendship with whoever. I will follow the law and evidence here.)
This is what television host and senatorial candidate Willie Revillame said on Friday when he was asked about the impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
He initially refused to comment on the impeachment issue as he said that he is not a senator yet. He added that he needs to see the impeachment complaint first.
鈥淜ung guilty, ano yung gagawin ko, susundin ko yung tama. Pero kung hindi guilty, doon ako sa hindi guilty,鈥� Revillame noted.
(If found guilty, I will follow what is right. But if found not guilty, then that鈥檚 what I will follow.)
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Revillame previously said that he was offered by former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher Bong Go a spot in their party鈥檚 senatorial lineup in the 2022 elections. However, the TV host declined the offer due to his contractual obligations with his TV show 鈥淲owowin.鈥�
Further, he said that he will have his legal team to study the impeachment if he wins the elections and gets designated as a senator-judge in the trial. However, he stressed that he does not want to be confident that he will win the polls.
鈥淎yaw kong maging confident na panalo na ako鈥� Syempre pag-aaralan. Ngayon nasa isip ko na kung sino yung magagaling na abogadong kukuhanin ko, the young and the seniors para macontribute sa amin,鈥� he said.
(I don鈥檛 want to be confident that I will win. Of course, I will study it. I already have in mind the best lawyers that I will get, the young and the seniors, that will contribute to us.)
He also said that the 24 senators will have to discuss and study the trial.
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Senate President Francis Escudero previously said that it鈥檚 鈥渁lmost certain鈥� that the impeachment complaint against Duterte will reach the 20th Congress.
The Senate adjourned its session on February 8 and will resume it on June 13. The session will be adjourned again from June 14 to July 27.
The vice president was impeached by the House of Representatives last February 5, with 215 lawmakers voting in favor of the impeachment. The lawmakers backing the complaint officially reached 240 after the session.
Among the articles of impeachment in the verified complaint sent to the Senate are betrayal of public trust, violating the 1987 Constitution, and graft and corruption.