There is no threat to the Senate leadership under Senate President Vicente Sotto III amid the prospect of an impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson also said he and Sotto have started taking “crash courses” or briefings on legal matters – such as the Rules of Court and Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure – to prepare for the possible transmission of the impeachment case to the Senate.
“Impeachment trial or no impeachment trial, there’s always the possibility of an attempt at leadership change. That will not go away. Such plots are usually hatched during session breaks,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DWIZ radio.
“At least to my knowledge, the majority bloc is solid because Senate President Sotto is leading well,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Walang Banta sa Liderato ni Sotto sa Gitna ng Posibleng Impeachment Trial
Lacson said both he and Sotto are studying the Rules of Court and Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure to prepare for the possibility of an impeachment trial, as they have suppletory applications. Lacson said he is also consulting with retired justices and legal experts.
On the other hand, Lacson said he has advised Sotto to prepare for possible attempts by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to block the impeachment trial by questioning its basis.
“The answer to Marcoleta’s threat lies in one word: Constitution,” Lacson said, citing the advice of a retired justice, as he stressed senators have a constitutional duty to proceed as senator-judges in an impeachment trial.
He also said that should Marcoleta put into question their constitutional duty as senator-judges, he could even be asked to join the defense team.
“It depends on how he will present his arguments. If needed, he may be told to join the defense team,” he said.
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Lacson: Walang Banta sa Liderato ni Sotto sa Gitna ng Posibleng Impeachment Trial
Walang nakikitang banta sa liderato ng Senado sa ilalim ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III sa kabila ng posibilidad ng impeachment trial laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ngayong Sabado.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na nagsimula na sila ni Sotto na mag-crash course” o briefing sa mga legal matters tulad ng Rules of Court at Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure bilang paghahanda sa posibleng pag-transmit ng impeachment case sa Senado.
“Impeachment trial or no impeachment trial, talagang laging may nag-a-attempt (ng leadership change). Hindi naman nawawala yan. Laging may nag-attempt lalo pag may break expect natin, may gapangan. Diyan kasi nangyayari ang pag-plot pag may session break,” aniya sa panayam sa DWIZ radio.
“Ako naman kami sa majority mukhang solid naman kami at least to my knowledge. Maayos naman ang palakad ni SP Sotto,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Lacson na pinag-aaralan nila ni Sotto ang Rules of Court at Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure bilang paghahanda sa posibleng impeachment trial dahil sa mga “suppletory applications” nito. Dagdag niya, kumokonsulta rin siya sa mga retiradong mahistrado at legal experts.
Pinayuhan din ni Lacson si Sotto na maghanda sa posibleng hakbang ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta upang harangin ang impeachment trial sa pamamagitan ng pagkuwestiyon sa basehan nito.
“One word lang ang sagot: Constitution,” ani Lacson, na binanggit na payo ito ng isang retiradong mahistrado, at iginiit na may konstitusyonal na tungkulin ang mga senador bilang senator-judges sa impeachment trial.
Dagdag pa niya, kung kukuwestiyunin ni Marcoleta ang kanilang tungkulin bilang senator-judges, maaari pa nga itong imbitahan na sumama sa defense side.
“Depende how he will present it. Baka doon siya sa defense, sabihin na lang namin doon ka na lang umupo,” aniya.
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