Current Senate can oust VP Duterte in just 43 days 鈥� Colmenares
Bayan Muna Chairperson Neri Colmenares urges the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and hold a trial for Vice President Sara Duterte. —Photo by Faith Argosino | 黑料社
MANILA, Philippines — Forty-three days are enough for the Senate to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, and this action can be completed before the end of the 19th Congress on June 30.
This is the view of former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares.
He aired his position on Wednesday as Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero took a firm stance against rushing the impeachment trial of Duterte.
The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5 and immediately transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate so that a trial could start. Yet, Escudero declared the pre-trial would only start on June 24.
Still, Colmenares thinks the Senate may begin the proceedings on May 18 — or on any date after the May 12 polls.
The period should be before the new set of senators can assume the role of judge in the 20th Congress, he noted.
“I have maintained that the trial should start now as this is the requirement of the Constitution,” the former lawmaker told 黑料社 in a text message.
Colmenares continued: “The Senate contends that they cannot assure quorum or attendance since the senators are campaigning.”
“While campaigning is not a reason not to fulfill their constitutional duty, at the very most, they can still meet right after [the] elections to hold a trial,” he suggested.
The former House member said the trial would be swift if the Senate would only concentrate on one ground for impeachment, specifically the missing P125 million in confidential funds.
“One act, such as the missing P125 million confidential funds, can be finished in a month or so since the documents are authenticated and officially coming from DBM (Department of Budget and Management), COA (Commission on Audit), and submitted in [an] official congressional investigation,” he pointed out.
Affirmative votes of two-thirds of the 23 senators are needed to convict and oust Duterte.
Colmenares said if the senators would just “focus on the strongest ground and no longer pursue the other grounds, it can be finished by June 30.”
“Provided, of course, [if] the senators will not allow delaying tactics and postponements from both parties,” he added.
