Cayetano asserts need for fairness, due process amid withdrawal of three Articles of Impeachment
Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday emphasized that the Senate must fairly handle the prosecution’s withdrawal of three Articles of Impeachment to protect the Constitution, ensure justice, and to set the proper precedent for future impeachment trials.
On the 39th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on October 13, Cayetano explained that there is a difference between withdrawing an article before evidence has been presented to the impeachment court and withdrawing it after witnesses and documents have already been presented but before the defense has had a chance to respond.
He objected to the second situation since it could deny the defense panel an opportunity to answer the accusations.
He also said it was unfair to use government time and resources to present accusations and then use cost-cutting as a reason to prevent the other side from being heard.
“You could have started with the ill-gotten wealth and stopped there. But you chose to spend 38 days. So, kung baga sa suntukan, sinuntok n’yo na y’ung defense, then sasabihin n’yo, ‘to save time, huwag na kayong gumanti’,” Cayetano said.
Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro earlier explained that the House prosecution panel considered the use of time and government funds, as well as the Senate’s other responsibilities, when it decided to withdraw the three articles.
These responsibilities include deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget.
Regarding the bribery article, Cayetano agreed with Presiding Officer Francis Escudero that the precedent set during the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona was applicable. In that case, witnesses and documentary evidence had not yet been presented to the impeachment court.
However, he said the other two withdrawn articles were different because the prosecution had already presented its evidence in court.
“Kung y’ung lahat ng winithdraw, hindi ka pa nag-present ng evidence, wala din tayong problema. Pero ang problema natin, nag-present ka na eh, hanggang dulo eh. Then you’re gonna insist that malakas pa rin y’ung case niyo on all four cases,” he explained.
Cayetano stressed that an impeachment trial is about more than the final verdict; it affects an official’s reputation and their right to present their own evidence.
“It’s not only the legal consequences, meaning acquitted or convicted, but also the reputation of the vice president and her right to a fair hearing, a fair trial, by being able to present their own evidence,” he said.
He also asked whether dismissing the two articles for which evidence had already been presented would count as an acquittal. Luistro responded that the withdrawn articles would no longer be part of the trial and would not be covered by the impeachment court’s ruling.
Cayetano said it was not enough to argue that the defense could simply respond in a press conference or on Facebook Live. He asked whether the court could issue subpoenas to compel witnesses needed by the defense to appear at such events.
He also warned about the precedent that could be set if accusations and evidence against an official were presented during a formal trial, only for the articles to be withdrawn before the official could present their side.
“Is that the kind of democracy, the kind of legal system, the kind of justice that we want to give the Filipino people? Can you imagine the precedent?” he asked.
In a subsequent interjection, Cayetano supported the proposal to give the defense an opportunity to respond first and consider the next steps when the trial resumes on November 9.
At the same time, he asked that sufficient time be given to discussions on the national budget, while acknowledging that the Senate could handle its responsibilities simultaneously.
“Priority dapat y’ung budget. Kung masasabay natin, bakit hindi? In the last few months, pinagsabay natin, session, budget, impeachment,” he said.
Cayetano stressed that regardless of the final verdict, upholding the Constitution and ensuring a fair process would strengthen democracy.
“If we follow the Constitution, if there is due process and fairness, then despite the many, many, many legal issues brought up in and out of this impeachment court, then we would have strengthened both our Constitution next year and our democracy,” he said.
Filipino Version
Patas na proseso, iginiit ni Cayetano sa pag-atras sa tatlong Articles of Impeachment
Iginiit ni Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Martes na dapat maging patas ang paghawak ng Senado sa pag-atras ng prosecution sa tatlong Articles of Impeachment upang mapangalagaan ang Konstitusyon, matiyak ang katarungan, at magtakda ng tamang pamantayan para sa mga susunod na paglilitis.
Sa ika-39 na araw ng impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte nitong Oktubre 13, nilinaw ni Cayetano na magkaiba ang pagbawi sa artikulong hindi pa naihaharap ang ebidensiya sa impeachment court at pagbawi sa artikulong nailahad na ang mga testigo at dokumento ngunit hindi pa nasasagot ng depensa.
Ang ikalawang sitwasyon ang tinutulan niyang mauwi sa pagkakait ng pagkakataong makasagot. Aniya, hindi makatarungang gamitin ang oras at pondo ng pamahalaan upang ilahad ang mga akusasyon, saka gamiting dahilan ang pagtitipid upang hindi na marinig ang kabilang panig.
“You could have started with the ill-gotten wealth and stopped there. But you chose to spend 38 days. So, kung baga sa suntukan, sinuntok n’yo na y’ung defense, then sasabihin n’yo, ‘to save time, huwag na kayong gumanti,’” ani Cayetano.
Nauna nang ipinaliwanag ni lead prosecutor at Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro na kabilang sa mga isinaalang-alang ng prosecution sa pagbawi ng tatlong artikulo ang oras, pondo ng pamahalaan, at iba pang tungkulin ng Senado, lalo na ang pagtalakay sa panukalang pambansang badyet para sa 2027.
Sa kaso ng bribery article, sumang-ayon si Cayetano kay Presiding Officer Francis Escudero na naaangkop ang precedent sa impeachment trial ni dating Chief Justice Renato Corona. Hindi pa kasi naipresenta sa impeachment court ang mga testigo at dokumentaryong ebidensiya para rito.
Ngunit iba aniya ang dalawa pang artikulong binawi dahil naiharap na sa korte ang mga ebidensiya ng prosecution.
“Kung y’ung lahat ng winithdraw, hindi ka pa nag-present ng evidence, wala din tayong problema. Pero ang problema natin, nag-present ka na eh, hanggang dulo eh. Then you’re gonna insist that malakas pa rin y’ung case niyo on all four cases,” paliwanag niya.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na bukod sa magiging hatol, nakasalalay rin sa paglilitis ang reputasyon ng isang opisyal at ang karapatan nitong maiharap ang sariling ebidensiya.
“So it’s not only the legal consequences, meaning acquitted or convicted, but also the reputation of the vice president and her right to a fair hearing, a fair trial, by being able to present their own evidence,” aniya.
Tinanong din niya kung ituturing bang acquittal ang pagbasura sa dalawang artikulong naipresentahan na ng ebidensiya. Tumugon si Luistro na ang mga binawing artikulo ay hindi na magiging bahagi ng paglilitis at hindi na saklaw ng hatol ng impeachment court.
Para kay Cayetano, hindi sapat na sabihing maaari namang sumagot ang depensa sa isang press conference o Facebook Live. Tinanong niya kung makapaglalabas ba ang korte ng subpoena upang obligahing humarap sa mga ganitong pagtitipon ang mga testigong kailangan ng depensa.
Nagbabala rin siya sa maaaring maging precedent ang magharap ng mga akusasyon at ebidensiya laban sa isang opisyal sa isang pormal na paglilitis, saka bawiin ang mga artikulo bago nito maiharap ang sariling panig.
“Is that the kind of democracy, the kind of legal system, the kind of justice that we want to give the Filipino people? Can you imagine the precedent?” tanong niya.
Sa kasunod niyang interjection, sinuportahan ni Cayetano ang mungkahing bigyan muna ng pagkakataon ang depensa at tingnan ang mga susunod na hakbang sa pagbabalik ng paglilitis sa Nobyembre 9.
Kasabay nito, hiniling niyang mabigyan ng sapat na panahon ang pagtalakay sa pambansang badyet, habang kinikilala na maaaring pagsabayin ang mga tungkulin ng Senado.
“Priority dapat y’ung budget. Kung masasabay natin, bakit hindi? In the last few months, pinagsabay natin, session, budget, impeachment,” aniya.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na anuman ang maging hatol, ang pagsunod sa Konstitusyon at pagtiyak sa patas na proseso ang makapagpapatatag sa demokrasya.
“If we follow the Constitution, if there is due process and fairness, then despite the many, many, many legal issues brought up in and out of this impeachment court, then we would have strengthened both our Constitution next year and our democracy,” wika ni Cayetano.
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