VP Sara: Give senator-judges benefit of the doubt

MANILA, Philippines — Should senator-judges overtly expressing their biases in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte inhibit? There is no need, according to the accused herself.

“Maybe we should give the benefit of the doubt to all the senators when it comes to their work, as faithful senator-judges, because if they would seek the disqualification, the inhibition of senators for being biased, then there would be many senators who should inhibit,” Duterte told News5 over the weekend.

As an example, the Vice President mentioned Sen. Risa Hontiveros who allegedly mentioned in a public speech that the Dutertes should be destroyed, while Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III also reportedly used a term likened to lukaret, or crazy.

The Vice President also mentioned Senate President Francis Escudero, who is being criticized for allegedly delaying the proceedings of the impeachment court.

“So if we would use this as a basis, many would have to inhibit. What we should do is to trust all of them, that they will do what is true as senator-judges,” Duterte said.

Christian Monsod, a framer of the 1987 Constitution, earlier urged senator-judges who cannot show impartiality to inhibit from the impeachment trial. Monsod did not name any senator in particular.

However, critics of Duterte have slammed Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino for earlier seeking to dismiss the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.

Outgoing ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro believes that Sen. Imee Marcos and Sen. Robinhood Padilla should also recuse themselves from the impeachment trial after attending an Independence Day event in Malaysia with Duterte.

They also accompanied Duterte when she visited her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, in The Hague last May 31.

Padilla even publicly boasted about his undying loyalty to the Duterte clan numerous times.

“Even if you burn me, my smell will reek of Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Padilla previously told reporters.