Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday warned against changing the rules on conviction midway as the Senate impeachment court reexamines whether 16 votes should remain necessary to convict Vice President Sara Duterte.
The issue had resurfaced last week when Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo sought clarification on whether the two-thirds requirement should still be based on the full 24-member Senate as Presiding Officer Francis Escudero had ruled at the start of the trial.
Article XI, Section 3(6) of the Constitution provides that no person may be convicted in an impeachment trial without the concurrence of “two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.”
During his interjection on September 14 to former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang during the 24th day of the impeachment trial, Cayetano raised the implications of changing rules while proceedings are already underway.
Tang, answering from the perspective of criminal law, said rules of evidence cannot be changed during the prosecution of a case.
She cited the current Sandiganbayan rules in which two of three justices are sufficient to render a valid judgment.
“So, kung gusto talagang ma-convict, biglang ibahin y’ung rules, isa na lang out of three. Would that give justice?” Cayetano asked.
“No, sir, and that is not allowed,” Tang replied.
“OK. Sa inyo [hindi allowed], sa amin baka [allowed],” Cayetano said.
The impeachment court will hear retired Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban and Reynato Puno and retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna on September 16 as amici curiae, or friends of the court who provide independent legal guidance on the disputed voting threshold, while former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. will submit a legal memorandum ahead of oral arguments by the prosecution and defense on September 23.
Cayetano stressed that the issue could set a precedent far beyond the present impeachment trial.
“This impeachment court’s decision and how we conduct ourselves and whether we follow the rules or not will determine our destiny not only in the next two years, 10 years, maybe in the next 40 years,” he said.
Nagbabala si Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Lunes laban sa pagbabago ng bilang ng boto na kailangan para ma-convict si Vice President Sara Duterte habang nagpapatuloy ang impeachment trial.
Sa kasalukuyan, 16 na boto ang requirement para sa conviction batay sa naunang ruling ni Presiding Officer Francis Escudero. Gayunman, muling nabuksan ang usapin nitong nakarating linggo matapos humingi ng paglilinaw si Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo kung dapat bang ibatay ang two-thirds requirement sa buong 24 na miyembro ng Senado.
Nakasaad sa Article XI, Section 3(6) ng 1987 Constitution na walang maaaring ma-convict sa impeachment trial nang walang pagsang-ayon ng “two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.”
Sa ika-24 araw ng impeachment trial nitong September 14, inusisa ni Cayetano si dating Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang tungkol sa epekto ng pagpapalit ng rules habang nagpapatuloy na ang paglilitis.
Ayon kay Tang, batay sa criminal law, hindi maaaring baguhin ang rules of evidence habang dinidinig na ang isang kaso.
Ipinaliwanag din niya na sa kasalukuyang rules ng Sandiganbayan, sapat ang boto ng dalawa sa tatlong mahistrado upang makapaglabas ng valid judgment.
“So, kung gusto talagang ma-convict, biglang ibahin y’ung rules, isa na lang out of three. Would that give justice?” tanong ni Cayetano.
“No, sir, and that is not allowed,” sagot ni Tang.
“OK. Sa inyo [hindi allowed], sa amin baka [allowed],” wika ni Cayetano.
Tatlong dating mahistrado ng Korte Suprema ang haharap sa impeachment court sa September 16 para magbigay ng kanilang legal na pananaw sa kontrobersyal na voting threshold para sa conviction.
Kabilang sa mga inimbitahang amici curiae o “friends of the court” sina dating Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban at Reynato Puno, at retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna.
Samantala, magsusumite naman ng legal memorandum si dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. bago ang oral arguments ng prosecution at defense sa September 23.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na maaaring magkaroon ng pangmatagalang epekto ang magiging desisyon ng impeachment court, hindi lamang sa kasalukuyang impeachment trial.
“This impeachment court’s decision and how we conduct ourselves and whether we follow the rules or not will determine our destiny not only in the next two years, 10 years, maybe in the next 40 years,” wika niya.
