Tongol says Lacson ‘absolutely right’ on role of impeachment court spox

MANILA, Philippines — Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said on Monday that Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was “absolutely right” after the latter criticized Tongol for seemingly “admonishing” his colleagues.

Over the weekend, Lacson slammed Tongol’s reminder that senator-judges are prohibited from discussing the merits of the case after Senator-Judge Robin Padilla posted a video about the evidence discussed in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Tongol heeded Lacson’s comment, saying, “Senator Lacson, being the seasoned statesman that he is, was absolutely right to publicly reinforce that boundary and hierarchy.”

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The lawyer added that he “welcomes” Lacson’s statement concurring with Tongol’s original point when he was speaking on Padilla’s social media post on Friday.

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READ: Tongol: Rule bars senator-judges’ comments amid Robin Padilla FB posts

It must be noted that Tongol, that day, after reminding that Senator-judges must not publicize or appear to have formed an opinion on an ongoing trial, clarified that whether or not Padilla had violated a rule was up to the court to decide.

READ: Tongol: Zuleika Lopez may have to explain if she ignores subpoena

“It is clear that I said that making a determination is entirely beyond my mandate and beyond my pay grade. The power to discipline belongs exclusively to the Senate as a collegiate body,” Tongol pointed out.

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He then thanked Lacson for his statement.

“I appreciate his wisdom and guidance as I and him are one in a single purpose: To fiercely protect the institutional integrity, credibility, and heirarchy of not only the Senate, but the Senate as an impeachment court,” Tongol expressed. /cb

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