A former lawmaker on Tuesday expressed confidence in the Senate impeachment court handling the case against Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the proceedings would give both sides the opportunity to fully present their arguments and evidence.
He welcomed the decision of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to promptly convene the Senate as an impeachment court, saying it helped dispel speculations that the proceedings would be delayed.
“I am thankful that Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano convened the Senate into an Impeachment Court forthwith, putting a stop to the discordant noise and speculations that the Senate will delay the constitutionally mandated proceedings,” former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said in a statement.
He noted that the trial would also provide Duterte’s camp the chance to answer the allegations before what he described as an impartial tribunal.
According to him, the vice president had repeatedly argued that the impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives were unfair, making the Senate trial an important venue for her defense.
The former lawmaker also expressed confidence in Cayetano’s ability to lead the impeachment court, citing his legal background and familiarity with parliamentary and procedural rules.
He compared the Senate leadership during the upcoming proceedings to the role once played by former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile during the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“All eyes are now focused on the Cayetano court and we trust that a fair and impartial trial will be conducted and that the Senator-Judges will decide the matter based on the strength or weakness of the evidence presented,” he said.
The Surigao del Norte former lawmaker acknowledged that impeachment trials are inherently political but expressed hope that senator-judges would prioritize national interest over partisan considerations when deciding the case.
He also emphasized that beyond the legal process, the public deserves the opportunity to hear the evidence and assess the conduct of elected officials themselves.
“It is the people who deserve to hear and see the evidence for themselves,” he said.