May kapangyarihan ang Senate impeachment court … Kahit magbitiw, maaaring i-ban sa public office si VP Sara Duterte

MAY KAPANGYARIHAN ang Senate impeachment court na magpataw ng lifetime ban kay Vice President Sara Duterte sa pag-upo sa alinmang public office kahit na pinili nitong magbitiw bago o habang dinidinig ang impeachment laban sa kanya.

Ayon kay 1-RIDER Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, miyembro ng 11-man House prosecution panel, “the purpose of impeachment is one, removal from office, and two, the penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding a public office. And I believe resignation while it might avoid the first penalty, the second penalty is still there po.”

Sinabi pa nito na hindi dapat gamiting dahilan ang pagbibitiw para takasan umano ang kanyang pananagutan.

“I don’t think you should take away the power from the Senate impeachment court to impose that second penalty just by simple resignation,” giit nito.

Inimpeach ng Kamara si Duterte nitong Pebrero 5, dahil sa kasong culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust. Sa lagdang 215, inendorso ng mga mambabatas ang reklamo na isinumite sa senado para sa gagawing pagdinig.

Sinabi naman ni House Assistant Majority Leader at Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong na kailangang magpatuloy ang impeachment trial kahit na magbitiw o hindi si Duterte.

“The process of the impeachment trial is not tied up with the resignation of the certain official na na-impeached, di ba?” anang kongresista.

Gayunman, sinabi ni Gutierrez na handa naman ang prosecution panel sa anumang magiging scenario.

“Even with the resignation, that would depend po the timeline, but we would still prepare for it. If there is a resignation but the impeachment court says tuloy po, then we will be prepared. If the resignation happens during the trial, we will be prepared,” dagdag nito.

(Vina de Guzman)