The word “remand” is not included in the 1987 Constitution’s articles involving the accountability of public officers.
On this note, Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Thursday raised his concern on a possible overreach in the interpretation of Article XI, Sec. 3 of the Charter when the Senate impeachment court remanded the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives.
“All lawyers should know this legal maxim: ‘Expressio unius est exclusio alterius‘. (What the law does not include, it excludes) The word ‘remand’ is not included in Art XI Section 3 of the1987 Constitution,” Lacson said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Nagpahayag ng Pag-aalala sa Posibleng ‘Overreach’ sa Pag-Remand ng Impeachment Case vs VP Duterte
Earlier, Lacson – who may serve as a senator-judge if the case crosses over to the 20th Congress – agreed with the Philippine Constitutional Association’s opinion that constitutional concerns were raised with the remanding of the impeachment complaint.
He added the Senate impeachment court’s action may be subject to judicial review by the Supreme Court if its action constitutes grave abuse of discretion.
Meanwhile, Lacson noted senator-judges – including former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – had changed their minds from probable acquittal to definite conviction.
He cited Enrile’s narration of changing his mind after personally hearing the evidence during the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“Amazing memory at 101. JPE is narrating it exactly the way he told me personally 13 years ago why he changed his mind from probable acquittal to definite conviction,” Lacson said.
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Ping Lacson, Nagpahayag ng Pag-aalala sa Posibleng ‘Overreach’ sa Pag-Remand ng Impeachment Case vs VP Duterte
Wala ang salitang “remand” sa mga probisyon ng ating Saligang Batas tungkol sa pananagutan ng mga lingkod-bayan.
Ito ang pagpapahayag ng pag-aalala ni Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Huwebes tungkol sa posibleng “overreach” sa interpretasyon sa Article XI Sec. 3 ng Saligang Batas, nang pina-remand ng Senate impeachment court sa Kamara ng impeachment case laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
“All lawyers should know this legal maxim: ‘Expressio unius est exclusio alterius‘. (What the law does not include, it excludes) The word ‘remand’ is not included in Art XI Section 3 of the1987 Constitution,” ani Lacson sa post sa X.
Nagpahayag ng pagsang-ayon si Lacson sa opinyon ng Philippine Constitutional Association na nagkaroon ng “constitutional concerns” sa pag-remand ng impeachment complaint.
Aniya, maaaring mapasailalim sa judicial review ng Korte Suprema ang ginawa ng Senate impeachment court kung may “grave abuse of discretion” ito.
Samantala, ipinunto din ni Lacson na ang mga senator-judges – kabilang si dating Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – ay maaaring magbago pa rin ng kanilang isip mula “probable acquittal” sa “definite conviction.”
Nabanggit niya ang pagkwento ni Enrile kung paano nagbago ang kanyang desisyon matapos personal na marinig ang ebidensya sa impeachment trial ni dating Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“Amazing memory at 101. JPE is narrating it exactly the way he told me personally 13 years ago why he changed his mind from probable acquittal to definite conviction,” ani Lacson.
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