MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s legal team said Tuesday it remains confident that she will receive a fair impeachment trial in the Senate despite the dramatic leadership shakeup that installed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate president.
Lawyer Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte-Carpio’s defense panel, stressed that the camp does not believe the change in Senate leadership would influence the outcome of the impeachment proceedings, saying senators are expected to act independently and decide solely on the basis of evidence.
“Ang hirap mag-comment diyan, mainly because I don’t want to paint a picture na may bias between the previous leadership and the present leadership,” Poa said in an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “The Spokes.”
“Ang expectation natin, kahit sino naman ang nasa liderato, is they will be providing us with a fair trial,” he added.
The House of Representatives on Monday impeached Duterte-Carpio for the second time after 257 lawmakers voted to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate, which will convene as an impeachment court.
The impeachment vote was preceded by a major Senate leadership overhaul that ousted Senate President Vicente Sotto III and elevated Cayetano, a known ally of the Duterte-Carpio family, to the chamber’s top post.
Despite speculation that the development could benefit the Vice President politically, Poa insisted senators would remain impartial throughout the proceedings.
“Sabi nga nila senators, 24 senators or 24 independent republics. Talaga namang inaasahan natin is they will decide based on evidence,” he said.
He also warned against portraying one Senate leadership as more favorable than another, saying such claims undermine the credibility and neutrality of senators.
“To say that it is easier because of a change or it’s harder because of a change, parang it’s unfair to our senators because then we will be casting doubt on their impartiality and sort of painting a picture na mas okay dito kaysa dito,” Poa said.
Poa likewise downplayed concerns over Cayetano’s capability to preside over the impeachment court, saying the defense panel’s position remains unchanged regardless of who sits as Senate president.
He also dismissed fears that the leadership transition could delay the impeachment proceedings.
“In fact, last night, I think… Cayetano already mentioned that… talagang pag natanggap nila, aaksyunan din nila kaagad kaagad ‘yung impeachment,” he said.
While he declined to provide a specific timetable, Poa said earlier projections that the impeachment trial could start by July appeared realistic considering the pretrial processes and submission of pleadings still required before the formal hearings./PN
