To help ensure sufficient participation of senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson proposed on Sunday a mechanism that would allow senators detained in connection with the flood control scandal to perform their duties during the proceedings.
Lacson said that while the composition of the Impeachment Court is the same as that of the Senate, the detention and preventive suspension of senators over the flood control mess may apply only to their function as legislators, as the Impeachment Court and Senate are separate entities.
“It is worth studying that while the Impeachment Court and Senate have the same composition, and this is subject to interpretation if it comes to that, the two are separate entities and the suspension of senators applies to their legislative functions and not to their duties as Senator Judges,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng Paraan para Makapaglingkod Bilang Senator-Judges ang mga Nakadetineng Senador sa Impeachment Trial
Lacson aired concerns that if hypothetically, at least nine senators are preventively suspended in connection with the flood control scandal – as projected by the Ombudsman – there may not be enough numbers to produce a clear verdict as wished for by some sectors, since at least 16 votes are needed for a conviction.
“What if nine senators are detained and 15 are left in the Impeachment Court? How will there be a clear decision to convict or acquit? Does it mean automatic acquittal because only 15 are available to vote? To me it should not,” he said.
“If they are preventively suspended, we will respect the decision of the courts. But maybe we can make a motion for the purpose of the impeachment trial to stay their suspension, or interpret their suspension to apply only to their legislative functions as senators, but not to their duties as senator judges. Otherwise it’s going to be a crisis. There might as well be no impeachment trial because there would be a foregone conclusion due to only 15 senator judges available,” he added.
Lacson said the detained senators – if authorized by the courts – could attend the impeachment trial, escorted by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel.
He said the only potentially awkward situation would be the image of senators serving as “senator judges by day and detainees by night” as they would be wearing their senator-judge robes during the trial – and their PDL uniforms once the trial for the day ends.
Another option would be to postpone the trial until the 90-day preventive suspensions would lapse, he said.
“It is good for legal eagles to discuss this early, to prepare for such a scenario,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson dismissed as “devious” an insinuation by disgraced ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano that the majority may seek to lower to 12 the threshold for voting to convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson said that as far as he is concerned, he will abide by the Constitution’s provision that only a vote by 2/3 of all members or 16 senator judges will be enough to secure a conviction.
“I can only speak for myself and I think some of my colleagues in the majority bloc, that we must stick to the Constitution first and foremost. 16 votes or 2/3 of 24 will be needed to convict. You cannot subtract from that,” he said.
*****
Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng Paraan para Makapaglingkod Bilang Senator-Judges ang mga Nakadetineng Senador sa Impeachment Trial
Upang makatulong na matiyak ang sapat na partisipasyon ng mga senator-judges sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte, nagmungkahi si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo ng isang mekanismo na magpapahintulot sa mga senador na nakadetine kaugnay ng flood control scandal na magampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa panahon ng paglilitis.
Ani Lacson, bagama’t pareho ang komposisyon ng Impeachment Court at Senado, maaaring ang detensyon at preventive suspension ng mga senador kaugnay ng usapin sa flood control ay sumasaklaw lamang sa kanilang tungkulin bilang mga mambabatas, dahil magkaibang entidad ang Impeachment Court at ang Senado.
“Isang dapat pag-aralan din, although sa Impeachment Court ang composition is the same as the composition of the Senate, subject sa interpretation ito if it comes to that – dahil kung separate entity ang Impeachment Court and Senate, baka pwedeng hindi kasama ang kanilang suspension sa pagganap sa kanilang tungkulin as Senator Judge,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB radio.
Nagpahayag ng pangamba si Lacson na kung sakaling hypothetical na hindi bababa sa siyam na senador ang mapasailalim sa preventive suspension kaugnay ng iskandalo sa flood control — gaya ng tinatayang posibleng mangyari — maaaring hindi na sapat ang bilang upang makabuo ng malinaw na hatol dahil kinakailangan ang hindi bababa sa 16 na boto para sa isang conviction, tulad ng ninanais ng ilang sektor.
“Paano kung nakulong siyam at naiwan sa Senate 15? Paano magkaroon ng maliwanag na decision to convict or acquit? Ibig sabihin ba noon automatically acquitted dahil 15 lang ang bumoto? Sa akin hindi,” aniya.
“Kung may suspension, tatalima kami sa korte. Pero baka pwede kaming paalam for purpose of the impeachment trial, baka pwede i-stay ang suspension or interpret na suspended sila as senators ang pagganap nila ng legislative function pero hindi kasama ang suspension sa pagganap nila bilang senator judges. Otherwise it’s going to be a crisis. Walang impeachment na magaganap kasi foregone na ang decision na di ma-convict dahil 15 maiwan na senator judges for that matter,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Lacson na kung papayagan ng hukuman, maaaring dumalo ang mga nakadetineng senador sa impeachment trial sa ilalim ng pagbabantay ng mga tauhan ng Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Aniya, ang tanging posibleng alanganing sitwasyon ay ang larawan ng mga senador na magiging “senator judges by day and detainees by night,” dahil magsusuot sila ng kanilang senator-judge robes habang may paglilitis at babalik naman sa kanilang uniporme bilang persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) matapos ang sesyon para sa araw na iyon.
Isa pang opsyon, aniya, ay ipagpaliban ang impeachment trial hanggang sa matapos ang 90-araw na preventive suspension.
“Maganda ang discussion natin kasi these are within the realm of possibility. Di imposible kasi pwede mangyari yan, kaya mabuti discuss natin ito para legal eagles, pwedeng magsagawa ng pag-aaral sa ngayon pa lang in the event maganap ang ganyang scenario,” aniya.
Samantala, ibinasura ni Lacson bilang isang “devious” ang pahiwatig ni disgrasyadong ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano na maaaring subukan ng mayorya na ibaba sa 12 ang kinakailangang bilang ng boto para sa hatol na pagkakasala o pagpapawalang-sala kay Bise Presidente Sara Duterte.
Sinabi ni Lacson na para sa kanya, susundin niya ang probisyon ng Konstitusyon na nagsasaad na kinakailangan ang boto ng dalawang-katlo ng lahat ng miyembro, o 16 na senator-judges, upang magkaroon ng hatol na pagkakasala.
“I can only speak for myself and I think some of my colleagues sa majority bloc, ganun din ang takbo ng isipan na mag-stick tayo first and foremost sa Constitution. Pag sinabing 16, 2/3 ng 24, 16. Hindi pwedeng bawasan yan,” aniya.
*****