Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday said Sen. Robin Padilla should clarify his “disregard for law” remark regarding the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte to specify if it was directed at the entire impeachment court or at individual senator-judges.
Lacson issued the statement after Padilla hinted during a radio interview on Sunday that senator-judges who consider themselves defenders of the 1987 Constitution might eventually decide to skip the trial if the Charter continues to be bent.
Lacson noted that Padilla’s comment could be seen as an attack on the integrity of the tribunal if it targeted the body where Padilla himself serves.
“I don’t know what Sen. Padilla meant by ‘disregard of law’ or if he was referring to the entire court na member din naman siya. If so, hindi kaya maituturing na direct assault sa integredad ng korte ang mga binitiwan niyang pananalita,” Lacson said.
Lacson added that if Padilla’s statement was aimed at specific colleagues, he should disclose their identities.
“Marapat lamang na liwanagin niya kung buong impeachment court ba ang tinutukoy niya sa ‘disregard for law’ or ilang miyembro lang. Kung ang huli, sana pangalananniya,” Lacson also said.
In the Sunday interview, Padilla suggested that “pro-Constitution” senator-judges could choose to stop attending the trial if proceedings do not follow the 1987 Constitution by the book.
Padilla clarified that while no formal agreement exists among pro-Constitution senator-judges to boycott the trial, such a move remains possible.
“Marami po kasing kagulat-gulat na mga nangyayari…Kami po ay naniniwala na dapat sundin natin ang Saligang Batas. Kasi mayroon pong bloc diyan eh na kami maka-Saligang Batas. Ayaw namin itong nababaluktot ang batas. Kapag hindi po tumigil sa pagbabaluktot ng batas, talagang baka dumating sa punto na hindi na kami um-attend,” Padilla said.
Padilla and Sen. Christopher Go, alongside Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, previously petitioned the Supreme Court to invalidate a September 23 ruling by senator-judges, which set the conviction voting threshold based on the number of senator-judges actively present on voting day.