Senators twisting law because they can’t ‘defeat’ Duterte in fair trial — VP Sara spox

QUEZON CITY— Senator-judges are intentionally twisting the law because they cannot defeat Vice President Sara Duterte in a fair impeachment trial or in the 2028 elections, Duterte’s spokesperson Atty. Paolo Panelo said on Wednesday. 

Senator-judges are tasked with hearing the case, while the prosecution and defense present their evidence and arguments.

This comes after the Senate iImpeachment court voted to revise the conviction threshold to two thirds of “members who at the time of the vote, remain legally and factually capable of participating in the proceedings.”

The ruling effectively means fewer votes are needed to convict — but also to acquit — Duterte in the trial.

“Maliwanag din ang dahilan. Harap-harapan nilang binabaluktot ang batas dahil hindi nila kayang talunin si VP Sara sa patas na laban sa impeachment man, o sa halalan sa 2028,” Panelo said. 

(The reason is also clear. They are openly twisting the law because they cannot beat VP Sara in a fair fight, whether in the impeachment trial or in the 2028 elections.)

He said in Filipino that senators voted on the ruling “to avoid accountability for their abuse of the nation.”

He said: “Dahil alam nilang ‘1 million% hindi maaareglo’ si VP Sara.”

(Because they know VP Sara ‘1 million percent’ will not cut them a deal.) 

Panelo said the vote is a breach of the Constitution, as it strips Duterte of the right to due process and to a fair trial.

He said the impeachment court has lost its legal and moral authority to continue with the trial.

The spokesperson also called the senator-judges who voted to lower the threshold as part of the country’s problems.

The Constitution states that an official may be convicted in a trial with a two thirds vote of the senator-judges.

The issue on threshold has been one of the hottest topics of debate in the trial.

“Talo man tayo sa ngayon, hinding hindi magwawaging tuluyan ang kasamaan, lalo na’t kasama natin ang taumbayan,” Panelo said.

(We may have lost today, but evil will not triumph in the end, especially when the people are with us.)