No connection between impeachment, FPRRD trial

SENATE President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero says the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed despite the ongoing trial of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, on charges of crime against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.

During a media briefing at the Senate last March 17, Escudero said the impeachment trial has nothing to do with the ICC proceedings.

“Those (the impeachment and the ICC trial) are separate incidents.

“I don’t see any connection between the two, and it’s not a reason to delay anything the Senate needs to do regarding our work here and whatever is happening in The Hague.

“There is no law that says we will postpone the impeachment because of the ICC. There is nothing in the law that allows us to postpone the impeachment because of a protest action,” the Senate leader said in the vernacular.

In the same forum, the Senate chief assured that Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, among the former president’s co-accused before the ICC, can stay within the Senate premises when the ICC issues an arrest warrant against him.

He made the remark after Dela Rosa said he would seek the “protection” of the Senate should a warrant of arrest be issued against him.

Escudero cited several instances when law enforcement agencies were barred from arresting sitting senators inside the Senate building, such as the case of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile (who was charged with rebellion complex in 1990), Sen. Gregorio Honasan (coup d’etat, 2003), Panfilo Lacson (double murder, 2010), among others.

“These are various situations faced by the Senate where there are cases against (its members), and the Senate’s decision is as follows: It is not based on the law but on what is called institutional courtesy.

“The Senate will not allow any of its members to be arrested within the Senate, especially if there is a session,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr., on March 18, accompanied the officials of the House of Representatives, led by Secretary General Reginald Velasco, during an ocular inspection of the Senate premises concerning the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau).