House prosecution questions Estrada's role as judge in impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Third District Rep. Joel Chua and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co on Friday questioned how detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada can effectively serve as a senator-judge in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial if he will not be physically present.

According to Chua, “This is just my personal opinion, but how can he participate in the impeachment trial if he could not be physically present during the impeachment hearings?”

Chua is one of the House prosecutors in the forthcoming trial.

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He also questioned how Estrada would be able to determine whether witnesses are telling the truth without personally observing their demeanor, conduct and responses during questioning.

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Meanwhile, Co said when it comes to the quality of participation, “nothing beats physical presence.”

“I think that, in the eyes of the public, a senator-judge needs to be physically present in order to have quality participation in the impeachment trial,” the lawmaker explained.

Co serves as the spokesperson for the House prosecution panel.

She noted that the Senate impeachment rules remain unchanged and that there is no reason to assume that existing limits on Estrada’s participation would no longer apply when the trial opens.

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The two made the pronouncements during the launch of Bantay Impeachment, a citizen-led watchdog campaign monitoring the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, at Claret School in UP Village, Quezon City on Friday.

Estrada is detained after his arrest over a non-bailable plunder charge linked to alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

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In a statement sent by Estrada’s staff to Senate reporters on Friday, the senator said claims that he can no longer participate as a senator-judge in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial are “premature.”

He said the issue is unresolved while proceedings involving his suspension in the Senate are still pending.

The Senate convened as an impeachment court on May 18 and is set to open the trial on July 6. /apl

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