Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is advocating for senator-judges to prioritize impartiality as they prepare for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. He urged his colleagues to ensure their decisions are not swayed by personal ambitions, particularly regarding the vice presidency.
Cayetano's Call for Integrity
With so much doubt surrounding our politics, I think we need more of that.
Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate Minority Leader
Cayetano welcomed the commitment made by Senate Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who stated he would not accept the vice presidency if Duterte were convicted. This move is viewed as a significant step towards maintaining the integrity of the trial.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Senator JV Ejercito echoed sentiments against discussing the impeachment trial's potential outcome prematurely. Both emphasized that fairness is paramount during the proceedings.
Cayetano acknowledged initial hesitation about discussing successors to Duterte but stressed the importance of establishing clear commitments from senator-judges. He argued that being open-minded about evidence does not preclude them from deciding their stance on future nominations.
Under the Philippine Constitution, the president has the authority to nominate a replacement for the vice presidency from the Senate or House of Representatives, pending approval by both chambers. Senators can opt to decline such nominations.