It is only the senator-judges, and not the presiding judge of the Senate impeachment court, who can decide to refrain from making public comments on the issues surrounding the pending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, incoming Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.
This was after impeachment court spokesman Reginald Tongol was quoted in reports as saying the senator-judges will not yet be prohibited from making such public comments.
“Only the senator-judges, not the presiding officer – after agreeing among themselves, or at least a majority of them – can decide not to make public comments on issues pertaining to the impeachment case,” he said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Ping Lacson: Senator-Judges Lang ang Pwedeng Magpasiya sa Pagkomento sa VP Impeachment Case
Lacson is to serve as one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of the Vice President, should the trial cross over to the 20th Congress.
Also, Lacson voiced concerns over Tongol’s previous statement where he was quoted as saying that he would file a motion to dismiss, “if I were the vice president.”
He chided Tongol for potentially telegraphing the moves of the defense with his statement – which House prosecution panel spokesman and lawyer Antonio Bucoy had branded as “inappropriate.”
Tongol was quoted as saying in a news forum on Saturday that the presiding officer “believes” that at least for now, the discussion of the issues being presented before the court is “healthy.”
Tongol added Rule 18 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, where the presiding officer and the members of the Senate shall “refrain from making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial,” will be used “sparingly.”
“Atty. Tongol, being the spokesman of the entire impeachment court, should not limit himself to the sentiment of the presiding officer,” Lacson stressed.
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Ping Lacson: Senator-Judges Lang ang Pwedeng Magpasiya sa Pagkomento sa VP Impeachment Case
Ang mga senator-judges, at hindi ang presiding judge ng Senate impeachment court, ang dapat magpasiya kung iiwas ba sila sa pagkomento sa mga isyu sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte, ayon kay incoming Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo.
Binanggit ito ni Lacson matapos nasabi ni impeachment court spokesman Reginald Tongol na hindi pa raw ipagbabawal ang mga senator-judges sa pagbigay ng komento sa publiko.
“Only the senator-judges, not the presiding officer – after agreeing among themselves, or at least a majority of them – can decide not to make public comments on issues pertaining to the impeachment case,” ani Lacson sa post sa X.
Magsisilbi si Lacson bilang isa sa mga senator-judges sa impeachment trial ng Bise Presidente, sa oras na tumawid ang kaso sa 20th Congress.
Nagpahayag din ng pag-aalaala si Lacson sa sinabi ni Tongol na maghahain siya ng motion to dismiss “if I were the vice president.”
Ani Lacson, tila hinuhulaan ni Tongol ang susunod na galaw ng depensa sa pamamagitan ng ganitong pahayag. Pinuna na rin ni House prosecution panel spokesman and lawyer Antonio Bucoy na “inappropriate” ang ganyang pahayag ni Tongol.
Ayon din sa ulat, binanggit ni Tongol sa isang news forum nitong Sabado na naniniwala ang presiding officer na “healthy” ang mga diskurso sa mga isyu tungkol sa impeachment trial.
Dagdag ni Tongol, “sparingly” o paminsan-minsan lang gagamitin ang Rule 18 ng Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, kung saan iiwas ang presiding officer at mga senador sa pagkomento o pagsiwalat tungkol sa merito ng nakabinbin na impeachment trial.
“Atty. Tongol, being the spokesman of the entire impeachment court, should not limit himself to the sentiment of the presiding officer,” giit ni Lacson.
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