Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Sunday proposed measures to minimize delays in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, including having witnesses expected to testify during the week remain readily available at the Senate premises.
Lacson said this would maximize the limited hearing time while upholding the Vice President’s right to a speedy trial without compromising the integrity of the proceedings.
“One suggestion I made was that the defense and prosecution make sure their witnesses for one week are readily available in a holding room, so if we finish early with one witness, we can move to the next and not waste time,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
“Speeding up the trial does not mean compromising the presentation of evidence. It means maximizing the limited time available to us,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng mga Hakbang upang Mabawasan ang mga Pagkaantala sa Impeachment Trial ng VP
Lacson noted that the proceedings last Wednesday ended early because the next witness, NBI regional director Jeremy Lotoc, was not in the Senate premises. If the trial continues at the current pace of only one witness per week, he said it may stretch through the Christmas holidays and beyond.
He added Impeachment Court presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero was open to the suggestion.
“The Vice President is entitled to a speedy trial, just like any respondent in an ordinary court trial. So we must devise ways to speed it up,” Lacson said.
Meanwhile, Lacson said senator-judges may also discuss in this week’s caucus the scope of their questioning during the trial, particularly questions directed at fellow senator-judges. He noted that one such exchange lasted at least an hour, particularly on the first day of the trial.
He also said senator-judges could address among themselves any alleged indiscretions committed by their colleagues, instead of having Impeachment Court spokesperson Reginald Tongol publicly call their attention to such matters.
Lacson added that it would be more appropriate for Tongol to course any reminders through the presiding officer or the Senate President, rather than publicly admonishing senator-judges.
“I could not imagine Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting telling the Supreme Court justices to read the Rules of Court. I hope what Tongol did will not happen again. If there are alleged indiscretions by individual senator-judges, we can discuss and address them among ourselves. Or the spokesperson can course the reminder to the presiding officer or Senate President,” he said.
On the other hand, Lacson said the Impeachment Court will not be distracted by bashers on social media, noting it cannot please everybody.
“Like I said, you cannot satisfy everybody. There will always be critics and bashers. But we cannot afford to be distracted by minor issues. We have to push through with the trial as we see fit,” he said.
Voting Threshold
Meanwhile, Lacson expressed hope that the issue of the voting threshold required to convict the Vice President would be settled early, before the impeachment trial concludes.
He said it would be messy if the Impeachment Court rendered a decision only for the Supreme Court to later overturn it on the ground of grave abuse of discretion.
Lacson cited a hypothetical situation in which the Impeachment Court adopts a lower base number for the required two-thirds vote, allowing a conviction with only 14 votes, only for the Supreme Court to later rule that such a threshold constituted grave abuse of discretion.
“It is better that the issue be resolved this early and someone would bring it before the high court before we reach a decision, so we will be guided accordingly,” he said.
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Lacson, Nagmungkahi ng mga Hakbang upang Mabawasan ang mga Pagkaantala sa Impeachment Trial ng VP
Nagmungkahi si Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo ng mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang mga pagkaantala sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte, kabilang ang pagpapanatiling handa at nasa Senado ang mga testigong inaasahang haharap sa loob ng isang linggo.
Ayon kay Lacson, makatutulong ito upang lubos na magamit ang limitadong oras ng pagdinig ng Impeachment Court, habang iginagalang ang karapatan ng Bise Presidente sa isang mabilis na paglilitis nang hindi isinasakripisyo ang integridad ng proseso.
“Isa nga sa sinuggest ko, i-line up ng defense o prosecution para sa isang linggo (na witnesses), dapat nandiyan sa holding room para kung matapos kami ng maaga sa isang testigo, hindi masayang ang araw,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB radio.
“Hindi pamadaliin para ma-compromise ang pag-present ng ebidensya, pero madaliin natin in such a way na huwag tayo magsayang ng araw,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Lacson na maagang natapos ang pagdinig noong nakaraang Miyerkules dahil wala pa sa Senado ang susunod na testigo, si NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc. Aniya, kung magpapatuloy ang kasalukuyang takbo ng paglilitis na halos isang testigo lamang kada linggo, maaari itong umabot hanggang sa panahon ng Pasko at higit pa.
Dagdag niya na bukas si Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero sa naturang mungkahi.
“VP Duterte is also entitled just like any respondent in an ordinary court hearing sa speedy trial. So dapat mag-devise din kami ng pamamaraan para mapabilis,” ani Lacson.
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na maaari ring pag-usapan ng mga senator-judge sa caucus ngayong linggo ang hangganan ng kanilang pagtatanong sa paglilitis, lalo na ang mga tanong na nakatuon sa kapwa senator-judge. Aniya, may isang palitan ng pagtatanong na umabot ng hindi bababa sa isang oras, sa unang araw pa lang ng trial.
Aniya, maaaring pag-usapan at resolbahin ng mga senator-judge sa kanilang hanay ang anumang umano’y mga hindi angkop na kilos ng kanilang mga kasamahan, sa halip na ang Impeachment Court spokesperson na si Reginald Tongol ang hayagang sumita sa kanila.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, mas angkop kung idaraan ni Tongol ang anumang paalala sa presiding officer o sa Senate President, sa halip na hayagang pagsabihan ang mga senator-judge.
“Analogy ko doon, hindi ko maimagine si Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting pagsabihan ng SC justices na basahin ang Rules of Court. Kaya ako nag-react at sana huwag na maulit yan. Kung may alleged indiscretions or kapabayaan ng individual senator-judges, pwede naming pagusapan sa caucus. O spokesperson remind niya ang presiding officer o SP na baka pwedeng masabihan ang kapwa senator-judge. Pero para manggaling sa kanya, sa akin hindi magandang pangitain,” aniya.
Sa kabilang banda, sinabi ni Lacson na hindi magpapadala sa mga batikos sa social media ang Impeachment Court, dahil hindi nito maaaring mapalugdan ang lahat.
“Sabi ko nga, hindi mo naman masa-satisfy lahat. May lalabas at may lalabas na pagbatikos, pagtatawanan, kung ano pa. Pero kami para di ma-distract sa minor issue na ganoon. Itutuloy lang namin ang trial at kung anong nakita naming fit na matuloy at maging maayos ang takbo ng trial,” aniya.
Threshold ng Pagboto
Samantala, nagpahayag si Lacson ng pag-asang maaagapan ang pagresolba sa usapin ng kinakailangang threshold ng boto upang mahatulan ang Bise Presidente, bago matapos ang impeachment trial.
Aniya, magiging magulo kung makapaglalabas na ng desisyon ang Impeachment Court ngunit mababaligtad lamang ito ng Korte Suprema dahil sa grave abuse of discretion.
Nagbigay si Lacson ng halimbawa ng isang sitwasyon kung saan maaaring magpasya ang Impeachment Court na gumamit ng mas mababang batayang bilang para sa kinakailangang two-thirds na boto, kaya’t magiging sapat ang 14 na boto upang mahatulan ang Bise Presidente, ngunit kalaunan ay babaligtarin ito ng Korte Suprema dahil sa grave abuse of discretion.
“So mas mainam this early maresolve ang issue ng threshold na 2/3 at meron agad mag-bring up sa SC para mas maaga habang nagtrial di pa kami nagdedecision ng conviction or acquittal based on the number e malinaw na sa amin ano ang threshold… At least guided kami,” aniya.
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