House impeachment spox on VP trial: Test of moral accountability

Vice President Sara Duterte. (File Photo: Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

By Jose Cielito Reganit, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte is not merely a legal proceeding but a “national test of moral accountability,” human rights lawyer and House of Representatives prosecution panel spokesperson Antonio Audie Bucoy said Tuesday.

In his first press conference as the official voice of the House prosecutors, Bucoy underscored the gravity and historic nature of the charges pending before the Senate.

“Tayo ay nahaharap sa isang usaping pananagutan. Pero ito po ay hindi pangkaraniwan na usaping pananagutan, ito po ay moral na usaping pananagutan (We are facing an accountability issue. But this is no ordinary accountability issue, but a moral accountability issue),” he said.

According to Bucoy, this is the first time in Philippine history that a sitting vice president has been charged with contracting an assassin to carry out threats against the President, the First Lady and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“Hindi lang po ito pagbabanta. Inamin niya na kumontrata siya ng taong magsasakatuparan ng bantang ito. In other words, may kinontrata na siya na asasino o mamamatay-tao (This is not a mere threat. She admitted that she had already contracted a person to carry out that threat. In other words, she has contracted an assassin),” he noted.

Bucoy also highlighted the unprecedented nature of the other charges: plunder, malversation of public funds, betrayal of the constitution and other heinous crimes.

Beyond these charges, it is the credibility of the Senate as the nation’s impeachment court and the moral conscience of the Filipino people that are also on trial, he said.

“Dapat ay buksan ang mga mata, makilahok sa proseso upang sa gayon matugunan ang mga pag-aagam-agam at mga katanungan (Open your eyes, take part in the process to address any doubts and questions),” Bucoy said.

Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5 on charges of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The impeachment complaint also cited her public admission of an alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; alleged bribery of Education officials; unexplained wealth; failure to declare assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth; and supposed links to extrajudicial killings during the administration of her father, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte.

As mandated by the 1987 Constitution, a conviction requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all members of the Senate, or 16 of 24 senators.

If convicted, Duterte would be removed from office and barred from holding future public positions.