Sen. Pangilinan ikinokonsiderang maging ‘impeachment manager’ sa posibleng paglilitis vs VP Sara

PLANO ng liderato ng Senado na magtalaga ng isa sa kanilang mga miyembro bilang impeachment manager bilang paghahanda kaugnay sa posibleng impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte.

Ito ang ibinunyag ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson kung saan ikinukonsidera si Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan na magsilbing “impeachment manager” para sa nalalapit na paglilitis.

Ipinunto ni Lacson ang pangangailangang italaga si Pangilinan sa nasabing tungkulin dahil isa siyang abogado.

Bukod kay Pangilinan, si Sen. Pia Cayetano lamang ang isa pang abogado na kabilang sa Senate Majority bloc.

Habang kabilang naman sa minority bloc sina Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Francis Escudero, at Rodante Marcoleta.

“We’re planning to appoint an impeachment manager, because Sen. (Juan Miguel) Zubiri is also not a lawyer. We want to try Sen. Kiko since he is a lawyer,” pahayag ni Lacson sa Kapihan sa Senado forum.

“Moreover, he’s BFFs with Sen. Marcoleta, not in the same degree, not in the same category (with me), but they are also BFFs,” ani Lacson.

Bilang isang abogado, hindi lamang aniya kayang sagutin ni Pangilinan ang mga legal na usapin, kundi maaari rin nitong tumulong sa paggabay sa proseso at pagpapanatili ng kaayusan sa panahon ng trial.

“(We need to appoint one) so that, in case, there is a question of law that needs to be interpreted, we need one who is well-versed on the rules of court, although the rules of impeachment will prevail here,” punto niya.

“So the rules of court is suppletory. So it’s better that we have a lawyer who is familiar with the conduct of trials, so more or less he can signal to the Senate president if a motion can be overruled or sustained,” saad pa ni Lacson.

Nilinaw din niya na hindi pa nila naipapaalam ang naturang mungkahi sa iba pang miyembro ng Senate majority bloc.

“But I was there when Sen. Zubiri made the suggestion, and Senate President (Vicente) Sotto said he is amenable to it,” wika ni Lacson.

“And I also agree because we really need a legal mind. As impeachment manager, he will act as shepherd, aside from the Senate president. He will act like a de facto majority leader (of the impeachment court),” paliwanag pa niya.

Kahit italaga umano bilang impeachment manager, sinabi niyang mananatili pa ring senator-judge si Pangilinan na maaaring bumoto pabor o laban sa impeachment ng bise presidente.

“Yes of course, he will still be a senator-judge. As impeachment manager, he will just be in-charge of maintaining the orderliness of the impeachment trial,” hirit ni Lacson. (Mylene Alfonso)