VP Duterte’s camp asks SC anew to stop impeachment trial

By Benjamin Pulta

MANILA – The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the ongoing trial of the impeachment case against her at the Senate sitting as impeachment court.

In a 16-page “very urgent manifestation with motion,” Duterte has also challenged the validity of the appointment of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero as presiding officer of the impeachment trial.

“Petitioners thus respectfully submit that a temporary restraining order, status quo ante order, or other appropriate interim relief is warranted to ensure that the impeachment trial proceeds, if at all, only under a presiding officer whose authority to preside is not under serious and unresolved constitutional challenge,” the pleading, filed by lawyer Israelito Torreon, read.

“Unless immediately restrained, the impeachment court will continue acting under rules, and a presiding officer whose validity depends on proceedings already challenged as unconstitutional,” he added.

The case is a consolidation of two separate cases, one of which includes Duterte herself as a petitioner.

In their previous petition received by the SC last Jan. 6, Duterte’s camp said: “At the very least, the Court should preserve the status quo and restrain further trial proceedings until the antecedent constitutional question concerning the authority of the presiding officer is resolved.”

“Otherwise, constitutional review may be reduced to an after-the-fact pronouncement on proceedings that have already moved forward under a cloud of illegality,” they added.

This article is republished from PNA.