Marcos: I have no role in Sara trial

MANILA, Philippines — While some think the Chief Executive can have a say on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte despite separation of powers, President Marcos said he chose not to.

In the last part of the second episode of the BBM podcast released yesterday, Marcos reiterated he has no role in the impeachment trial of his ally-turned-critic.

Marcos, a former legislator, insisted that an impeachment process falls within the ambit of the legislative department.

“It’s between Congress (House of Representatives) and the Senate,” he told News5 anchor Cheryl Cosim.

Marcos said he is focused on addressing the nation’s problems such as improving public transportation and food security.

“That’s not my...I’m busy with the transport, with the rice, with all of the different things that we are doing that all my time is spent there,” he said.

Malacañang has repeatedly said the President would not meddle in the impeachment trial of Duterte.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro earlier said Marcos is confident the two houses of Congress will be able to resolve disagreements on the impeachment trial.

Castro, however, clarified that the President wants the country’s officials to follow the Constitution and the rule of law.

In an interview in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last month, Marcos said he never wanted Duterte impeached.

“Why do I have to keep on explaining that I do not want the impeachment?” the President said.

Eroding public trust

Amid mounting public criticism, Senate impeachment court spokesman Reginald Tongol yesterday warned of the risks of eroding public trust in the Senate tribunal, which may bring far-reaching consequences to the country’s legal and democratic systems.

“If there is any attack on the credibility of the court, as the spokesperson, I am also going to defend the credibility of the court, because nothing good will be achieved by destroying the credibility of the court,” Tongol said in a news forum.

The Senate is facing criticism from the public, including members of the House of Representatives, over its supposed mishandling of the case – chief of which is the remanding of the Articles of Impeachment back to the House.

Tongol acknowledged that while some members of the public may have doubts about individual senators, the institution they serve must still be trusted. He also emphasized that the integrity of the process rests not only on the actions of its members but also on the public’s faith in its legitimacy.

“Because when the impeachment court reaches a decision, whether favorable or unfavorable to one party, we have to be able to believe that what they did is actually acceptable to everyone,” he said.

“However, if the credibility of a court gets demolished, there will be chaos and there will be anarchy. Therefore, we need to explain to the nation that it is crucial, especially to the litigants, to respect the credibility and independence of the court,” he added.

The impeachment process, Tongol stressed, is a constitutional remedy.

“We have no other process, no alternative process other than the continuation of the impeachment process in the Senate. We cannot just give it to any other body,” he said.

Tongol maintained that as the trial moves forward, public understanding and confidence in the tribunal’s role will be essential.

Senators lauded

House minority leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan yesterday lauded senator-judges who have refrained from publicly commenting on the merits of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Silence is not a weakness. It is a mark of discipline and integrity,” Libanan said in a statement.

“We commend our senator-judges who have chosen the high road of restraint. Silence, in the context of an ongoing trial, is not passivity. It is professionalism,” he added.

Libanan, one of the 11-member House prosecution panel, cited the Constitution’s demand for neutrality from judges in any legal or quasi-legal proceeding.

“Every statement a judge makes outside the courtroom is a potential challenge to fairness inside it. The discipline shown by some senators is therefore not just admirable – it’s essential,” he said. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Jose Rodel Clapano, Miriam Desacada