Cayetano petition won’t derail impeachment – lawmakers

By Jose Cielito Reganit, Philippine News Agency

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (Senate of the Philippnes/facebook)

MANILA – House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairperson and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre on Wednesday urged the public not to lose confidence in the impeachment process amid legal challenges arising from the leadership dispute in the Senate.

In a statement, Acidre said the current situation demonstrates why the Constitution provides separate roles for each branch and institution of government.

“Filipinos should not lose confidence in the impeachment process. Our institutions are designed precisely for moments like this. The Supreme Court can resolve legal questions, the Senate can conduct the trial, and the Filipino people can finally hear the evidence and judge for themselves whether their trust remains deserved,” he said.

The House leader said public concern is understandable whenever constitutional institutions are involved in legal disputes, but emphasized that the petition filed in connection with the Senate leadership row is separate and distinct from the impeachment proceedings.

“The petition concerns the leadership row in the Senate, not the impeachment process itself,” Acidre said.

Former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and several of his allies have elevated the ongoing Senate leadership dispute to the SC, seeking judicial intervention to reverse the leadership changes implemented in the chamber earlier this month.

In an 87-page petition, they asked the High Court to issue a status quo ante order that would effectively restore the Senate’s leadership structure to its state prior to June 3.

The petition argues that the Court’s intervention is necessary to halt what it described as alleged “mob rule” and to restore institutional and structural stability within the Senate.

Acidre said the Articles of Impeachment did not originate from the Senate controversy and remain valid regardless of the ongoing dispute.

“The case against the Vice President did not originate from the Senate dispute. We should not confuse legal disagreement with constitutional paralysis,” he said.

“The impeachment process remains on track unless the Supreme Court says otherwise.”

Acidre also appealed to Filipinos to place their trust in the constitutional mechanisms designed to resolve disputes and ensure accountability.

Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun of Zambales agreed with Acidre, saying the filing of a petition arising from the Senate leadership dispute does not automatically suspend or delay the impeachment trial of Duterte.

“We understand why some Filipinos are worried. Whenever there is a legal challenge involving the Senate, people naturally ask whether the impeachment trial will be delayed,” Khonghun said in a separate statement.

He said the public should remain focused on the constitutional process and allow the institutions involved to perform their respective duties under the law.

He added that absent any contrary order from the SC, the Senate impeachment court remains bound by its constitutional responsibility to proceed with the trial.

This article is republished from PNA.