A member of the House impeachment prosecution panel said concerns over detained senator-judges or those facing separate cases must not be used to delay the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In an interview over the radio, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said the House prosecution panel would defer to whatever the Senate impeachment court and the Sandiganbayan decide regarding the participation of affected senators, including Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
However, he stressed that the scheduled July 6 start of the impeachment trial should remain unchanged.
“Hindi dapat mausog ‘yung trial dates just because kailangan lang po ng senator-judge na ayusin itong kanila pong supposed suspension sa Sandiganbayan,” Ridon said.
The issue was raised after Sen. Panfilo Lacson discussed possible scenarios involving senator-judges who may be detained or facing pending cases while serving in the impeachment court.
The lawmaker said the prosecution would not object if the Senate impeachment court seeks clearance from the Sandiganbayan to allow a senator-judge to attend the proceedings. The same position, he added, would apply if such requests are denied.
But he warned against using these circumstances as grounds to move the trial schedule.
Detention or pending cases of senator-judges, he said, are separate legal matters that should not affect the impeachment proceedings.
He added that the Senate impeachment court may consider past instances involving senators who were previously detained while still holding office.
He also noted that questions on whether a senator-judge who missed portions of the trial may still participate in voting should be resolved by the impeachment court itself.
For the House prosecution, Ridon said the task remains straightforward: present evidence and secure the required votes from senator-judges, regardless of individual circumstances.
He said prosecutors are focused on the pre-trial and the scheduled start of proceedings, with hearings set for June 18 and the trial proper on July 6.
He noted that procedural questions on attendance and participation should not derail the case.
“Ang mahalaga, magsimula ang paglilitis sa July 6,” he said.