Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday cautioned his colleagues that the pursuit of accountability in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial must not come at the expense of the law.
Addressing Presiding Officer Senator-judge Francis Escudero, Cayetano reminded the court that the trial is “a political process as much as a legal process,” one in which the public’s desire to know the truth about the Vice President’s finances competes with the duty to follow the rules.
“We want the public to know (the truth) as much as possible. (And) we want to hold the impeachable officers accountable. So may naglalaban na values dito,” the Minority Leader said, pointing to the people’s right to know against holding a public official accountable.
“But this is not the Wild Wild West. Just because we’re curious or just because we want to hold someone accountable, that doesn’t mean that we will not follow the rules,” he added.
Cayetano pressed the court to decide where that line lies, pointing to a provision in the Anti-Money Laundering Law that bars its use for political persecution.
“So where is the line? Where is the line between transparency, accountability, and when is there a strict interpretation of the law?” he said.
Cayetano drew on his experience in earlier impeachment cases, including those of former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Arroyo, and former Chief Justice Renato Corona. In the Corona trial, he recalled that the Senate did not look into dollar accounts after the Supreme Court ruled them strictly confidential.
“There was always a common denominator that we stopped and we did not bend the law, and we protected the Constitution and the law. Why? Because that is more important than holding one person accountable,” he said.
In contrast, Cayetano noted that AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura, who testified on Monday “did not even pause” when it came to dollar transactions and did not ask whether the impeachment court would allow it.
The senator-judge also said the Corona court allowed documents going back ten years to establish a baseline, but made no strict legal interpretation at the time.
He argued that the present case is different because of the Supreme Court decision in Duterte versus House of Representatives, which he said ties an impeachment to the official’s current term.
“That’s the prevailing Supreme Court decision. If we do not agree with that, we challenge that decision. We don’t just say here that that decision does not apply, it’s quite clear. How many times do we have to violate the Constitution in this court when it’s very, very clear?” he warned.
Cayetano also observed that the prosecution appears to already have documents and figures covering the Vice President’s current term, so there is little need to argue over earlier records.
He urged prosecutors to focus instead on the evidence, noting that law students have been asking him why the court keeps allowing questioned evidence.
“The judges have to be able to render the judgment out of fairness based on law,” he said.
“We’re not arguing on the facts now, Mr. President. We’re not arguing on the evidence. We’re arguing on the application of the law, kung anong pwede at anong bawal,” he added.
Nagbabala si Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Lunes sa kanyang mga kasamahan na ang paghahanap ng pananagutan sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte ay hindi dapat mangyari sa paraang labag sa batas.
Sa kanyang pahayag kay Presiding Officer Senator-judge Francis Escudero, pinaalala ni Cayetano na ang impeachment trial ay isang “political process in as much as a legal process.”
Aniya, kailangang balansehin ang kagustuhan ng publiko na malaman ang katotohanan tungkol sa yaman ng Bise Presidente at ang tungkulin ng korte na sundin ang mga patakaran.
“We want the public to know (the truth) as much as possible. (And) we want to hold the impeachable officers accountable. So may naglalaban na values dito,” sabi ng Minority Leader tungkol sa karapatan ng publiko na malaman ang katotohanan kumpara sa pananagutan ng isang opisyal sa kanyang mga ginawa.
“But this is not the Wild Wild West. Just because we’re curious or just because we want to hold someone accountable, that doesn’t mean that we will not follow the rules,” dagdag niya.
Hiniling ni Cayetano sa korte na tukuyin kung saan dapat ilagay ang hangganan. Tinukoy niya ang isang probisyon sa Anti-Money Laundering Law na nagbabawal sa paggamit nito para sa political persecution o paggamit ng batas upang usigin ang isang tao dahil sa pulitika.
“So where is the line? Where is the line between transparency, accountability, and when is there a strict interpretation of the law?” tanong niya.
Ibinahagi ni Cayetano ang kanyang karanasan sa mga naunang impeachment case, kabilang ang mga kaso laban sa mga dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada at Gloria Arroyo, at kay dating Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Sinabi niya na sa impeachment trial ni Corona, hindi tiningnan ng Senado ang mga dollar account matapos magpasya ang Korte Suprema na confidential ang impormasyong ito.
“There was always a common denominator that we stopped and we did not bend the law, and we protected the Constitution and the law. Why? Because that is more important than holding one person accountable,” sabi niya.
Samantala, sinabi ni Cayetano na si AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura, na tumestigo nitong Lunes, ay hindi man pinag-isipan ang pagsasalita tungkol ang mga dollar transaction. Hindi rin aniya nito tinanong kung papayagan ng impeachment court ang paggamit ng naturang impormasyon.
Sinabi rin ni Cayetano na sa impeachment trial ni Corona, pinayagan ng korte ang mga dokumentong umabot hanggang sampung taon ang nakalipas upang magkaroon ng batayan sa paghahambing. Gayunman, hindi aniya nagkaroon ng mahigpit na interpretasyon sa batas.
Ayon kay Cayetano, iba ang kasalukuyang kaso dahil sa desisyon ng Supreme Court sa Duterte versus House of Representatives. Aniya, ipinapakita ng desisyong ito na ang impeachment ay nakaugnay sa kasalukuyang termino ng opisyal.
“That’s the prevailing Supreme Court decision. If we do not agree with that, we challenge that decision. We don’t just say here that that decision does not apply, it’s quite clear. How many times do we have to violate the Constitution in this court when it’s very, very clear?” wika niya.
Napansin din ni Cayetano na tila mayroon nang mga dokumento at datos ang prosecution tungkol sa kasalukuyang termino ng Bise Presidente. Dahil dito, sinabi niyang hindi na gaanong kailangang pagtalunan ang mga naunang record.
Hinimok niya ang prosecution na sa halip ay ituon ang pansin sa ebidensya. Binanggit niya na may mga law student na nagtatanong sa kanya kung bakit patuloy na pinapayagan ng korte ang mga kinukuwestiyong ebidensya.
“The judges have to be able to render the judgment out of fairness based on law,” sabi niya.
“We’re not arguing on the facts now, Mr. President. We’re not arguing on the evidence. We’re arguing on the application of the law, kung anong pwede at anong bawal,” dagdag niya.
