MANILA, Philippines — Although the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to commence, some senator-judges seem to have already rendered a verdict, according to Malacañang.
At a Palace press briefing yesterday, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro was asked to comment on Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri’s pronouncement that Duterte’s impeachment case is a “witch hunt.”
“First of all, they’re calling the impeachment trial a witch hunt…the trial hasn’t even started yet. So, it’s like a judge who declared the person not guilty without hearing any evidence,” Castro said.
The Palace press officer reminded senator-judges to remain neutral and refrain from showing their biases.
Castro, however, stressed Malacañang does not support calls for senator-judges who apparently show bias in favor of the Vice President to inhibit from the trial.
“They shouldn’t inhibit, they should just show how they act and perform for the people,” she said.
Zubiri earlier branded the impeachment case against Duterte as a “political witch hunt” aimed at the 2028 elections.
“They want to remove her from office so others may sit, and still others may lose a rival come the elections in 2028,” Zubiri said.
The Senate is set to convene as an impeachment court after the 20th Congress convenes on July 28.
‘Conduct unbecoming’
Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor slammed Zubiri for his recent comments about the impeachment trial, which he described as “very unbecoming of a senator-judge.”
“That should not be coming from a senator-judge who is expected to receive the evidence with impartiality and to treat the impeachment as a constitutional process,” he said yesterday.
Defensor, who is among the 11-member House prosecution panel, advised Zubiri and all the senator-judges as well as the prosecution to limit their statements on how the impeachment process against Duterte should go about. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Delon Porcalla, Bella Cariaso, Evelyn Macairan