Irrelevant questions by some senator-judges are slowing the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, while also testing the patience of those following the proceedings, Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said that while Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero has been accommodating of his fellow senator-judges out of respect, “we should likewise exercise restraint and be mature enough to discern which questions are proper.”
“With all due respect to our peers, sometimes we senator-judges are slowing down the trial. Why is it that sometimes questions irrelevant to the trial are asked? The Presiding Officer has been accommodating out of respect. But we must be mature enough to discern what clarificatory questions we can ask,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
“Injecting issues that are not relevant to the impeachment trial causes unnecessary delays, and does not sit well with the public,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: ‘Irrelevant Questions’ ng Ilang Senator-Judge, Nagpapabagal sa VP Impeachment Trial
Lacson said regular all-senator-judge caucuses can help resolve the issue by serving as a constant reminder on proper demeanor and the kinds of questions that should be raised during the proceedings.
He said that while some irrelevant questions may stem from emotion or personal leanings toward the prosecution or defense, caucuses called by the Senate President and Presiding Officer would help remind them to remain objective.
“There are times we ask questions out of emotion whether in favor of the prosecution or the defense. I think regular caucuses called by the Senate President and Presiding Officer would serve as a constant reminder of what should and should not be discussed,” he said.
Lacson said that the impeachment trial’s pace has been very slow even with the prosecution dropping some witnesses from its planned presentation.
He warned that at its current pace of three trial days per week, the trial could drag all the way to early 2027. Lacson earlier stressed the need to speed up the trial while preserving the integrity of the proceedings.
“The pace is slow. We must reassess how to speed it up. In fairness to the Vice President, she is entitled to a speedy trial,” he said.
Lacson also reiterated that as of July 21, the Senate impeachment court still has around P22.6 million out of its original P27.5-million budget under the 2025 budget for the impeachment trial, though he could not support the Office of the Vice President’s request for the Senate to shoulder the defense team and support staff’s food requirements while sourcing the food from the OVP’s caterer.
He added that if the budget may no longer be enough if the trial drags on to next year, lawmakers can take up the matter while deliberating on the proposed national budget for 2027.
“If the trial drags on to 2027 and the current budget won’t be enough, we can take it up during deliberations on the proposed 2027 budget,” he said.
Budget Hearings
Lacson said he and fellow senators expect to adjust their schedules for the budget deliberations, which will take place alongside the impeachment trial and regular Senate sessions.
He said their schedule includes Thursday and Friday for committee hearings on the budget and other measures. “I think we can adjust,” he said.
Also, Lacson said they are addressing logistical requirements for the budget deliberations, including renting committee rooms at the nearby Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
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Lacson: ‘Irrelevant Questions’ ng Ilang Senator-Judge, Nagpapabagal sa VP Impeachment Trial
Ang mga “irrelevant questions” ng ilang senator-judge ay nagpapabagal sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, habang sinusubok ang pasensya ng mga sumusubaybay sa mga pagdinig, ayon kay Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Sinabi ni Lacson na bagama’t pinagbibigyan ni Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ang kanyang mga kapwa senator-judge bilang paggalang, dapat din silang maging “discerning” upang matukoy kung alin sa mga tanong ang nararapat sa mga pagdinig.
“With all due respect sa aking kasamahan, sometimes kami ang nagpapabagal. Kasi minsan hindi relevant ang tinatanong sa impeachment trial, bakit nasisingit? Ang Presiding Officer, isinasaalang-alang niya at binibigyan niya ng galang (ang) ating kasamahan. I think we should be mature enough to discern ano ba ang pwede namin itanong para ma-clarify ang di maintindihan,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
“Pero mag-inject ka ng issues na ang layo di naman patungkol sa impeachment trial, yan ang nakapag-abala. At hindi kaayo-ayo na pakinggan,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Lacson na makatutulong ang regular na caucus ng lahat ng senator-judge upang matugunan ang isyu, dahil magsisilbi itong palagiang paalala sa wastong asal at sa mga uri ng tanong na dapat ihain sa panahon ng paglilitis.
Aniya, bagama’t ang ilang irrelevant questions ay maaaring bunga ng emosyon o personal na pagkiling sa panig ng prosekusyon o depensa, makatutulong ang mga caucus na ipatatawag ng Senate President at Presiding Officer upang paalalahanan ang mga senator-judge na manatiling objective.
“I think kung medyo regularly magka-caucus kami para laging pagusapan ang aming demeanor at pagtatanong baka makakatulong yan kasi constant reminder. Minsan kasi nadadala kami ng bugso ng damdamin either way papunta sa defense or prosecution minsan nakakalimot, nadadala ika nga. Pero siguro paminsan minsan all senators caucus tatawagin ng Senate President and Presiding Officer just to remind ourselves na itong mga bagay na ito di dapat pinaguusapan,” aniya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na napakabagal ng takbo ng impeachment trial sa kabila ng desisyon ng prosekusyon na bawasan ang bilang ng mga testigong ihaharap nito.
Nagbabala siya na sa kasalukuyang takbo ng tatlong trial day kada linggo, maaaring umabot ang paglilitis hanggang unang bahagi ng 2027. Muli ring binigyang-diin ni Lacson na habang dapat mapanatili ang integridad ng proseso ng impeachment, kailangan ding mapabilis ang paglilitis.
“Medyo mabagal ang pace. So dapat siguro mag-reassess paano natin mapabilis. Kasi in fairness to the Vice President, entitled siya to a speedy trial,” aniya.
Muli ring sinabi ni Lacson na as of July 21, mayroon pang humigit-kumulang P22.6 milyon na natitira sa orihinal na P27.5-milyong pondo ng Senate impeachment court sa ilalim ng 2025 budget para sa impeachment trial. Gayunman, iginiit niyang hindi niya maaaring suportahan ang kahilingan ng Office of the Vice President na sagutin ng Senado ang pagkain ng defense team at mga support staff nito habang ang pagkain ay manggagaling lamang sa accredited caterer ng OVP.
Idinagdag niya na kung hindi na sasapat ang natitirang pondo dahil aabot ang paglilitis hanggang sa susunod na taon, maaaring talakayin ng mga mambabatas ang karagdagang pondo sa panahon ng deliberasyon sa panukalang pambansang badyet para sa 2027.
“Kung hindi (sapat ang budget), magde-deliberate kami sa budget at anticipate aabot ng 2027, pwede siguro maglagak ng pondo para sa impeachment trial,” aniya.
Budget Hearings
Sinabi ni Lacson na inaasahan nilang makapag-aangkop sila ng kanilang iskedyul habang sabay na isinasagawa ang mga deliberasyon sa badyet, impeachment trial, at regular na sesyon ng Senado.
Aniya, nakatakda tuwing Huwebes at Biyernes ang mga pagdinig ng komite kaugnay ng panukalang pambansang badyet at iba pang mga panukala. “I think makaka-adjust kami,” aniya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na tinutugunan na ng Senado ang mga pangangailangang logistikal para sa mga pagdinig sa badyet, kabilang ang posibleng pag-upa ng mga committee room sa kalapit na Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
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