Lawmakers seek Senate security ahead of Duterte impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — Public prosecutors Gerville Luistro of Batangas and Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro party-list have called on authorities to ensure security at Senate premises as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte draws near.

Luistro said on Tuesday that they “commend” the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) initiative in addressing security concerns, noting that the “impeachment is a solemn process which we must protect and preserve.”

Earlier, Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian said the new majority bloc had implemented tighter security measures following information about threats they received.

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“We also receive information, including from the NBI, that there are threats that something could happen in the Senate. That is why we are also coordinating with intelligence agencies, especially the NBI, so that our information and intelligence gathering will continue,” he said over dzRH on Tuesday.

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“I just cannot disclose it, but there is intelligence information that has been passed to us and to the senators by the NBI that there are threats that something could happen in the Senate,” he added.

Ridon said they trust Gatchalian to put in place sufficient measures to address security concerns.

READ: Intel reports cite threats to Senate, says Gatchalian

“We share the same concern as the new Senate leadership on potential threats to the Senate building and premises,” Ridon said.

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“We nonetheless trust that Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian will undertake sufficient measures to address these concerns and coordinate with law enforcement agencies for additional protection to ensure that Senate operations are unhampered, particularly its work as the Senate impeachment court,” he added.

Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who is part of the bloc supporting Gatchalian, said the threat is “very serious,” as per the intelligence report he received.

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“Very serious, according to the intel,” Sotto told reporters in a message.  “The threat is a clear and present danger; therefore, serious considerations must be taken.”

READ: Senate security threat ‘very serious,’ says Sotto’s intel

After House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil transmitted to the Senate Impeachment Court their manifestation on Duterte’s reply last June 1, the prosecution team asked that the next steps regarding the impeachment proceedings start already.

In a press briefing on Monday, prosecution team member and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said that the trial process should commence in the absence of new answers from Duterte.

READ: Diokno: Start trial process as Duterte failed to provide new answers

Several lawmakers privy to the prosecution team’s activities, including spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, said the panel is preparing for the pre-trial conference, which is tentatively set for June 15, and the start of the trial on July 6.

“The next process would be the pre-trial conference. And I believe that the Senate has already indicated the dates for the pre-trial conference and for the actual impeachment trial, which would be on July 6, if I’m not mistaken,” he said in an interview with One News earlier.

“So, come next week, we are hoping, and we’re expecting, that the court will convene for the pre-trial conference so that the House Prosecution team would also be able to submit the evidence and the list of our potential witnesses. Basically, the pre-trial conference is laying down the ground rules for people to know what the flow of the trial would be,” he added.

Last May 11, Duterte was impeached for a second time after 257 House lawmakers voted in favor of adopting House Resolution (HR) No. 989, which contains the Articles of Impeachment. Only 25 members voted against it, while nine abstained.

The 257 votes garnered were well over the threshold required under Article XI, Section 3(3) of the 1987 Constitution, which states that a one-third vote of all House members is needed to affirm or override a committee recommendation to impeach an impeachable official.

According to HR No. 989, the allegations in the two complaints were consolidated into four grounds:

• culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust through the systematic misuse, misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million under the Office of the Vice President and P112.5 million under the Department of Education (DepEd);

• culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust when Duterte amassed unexplained wealth manifestly disproportionate to her lawful income and earnings during her incumbency as a public official;

• bribery, graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust when she gave monetary gifts or payments to DepEd officials to induce violations of and circumvent procurement and other related laws; and

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• culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust by contracting for the assassination of the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House, by making grave threats, and by actively inciting sedition against the republic. /mcm