00:00The Senate Impeachment Court maintains that the certification it requested from the House
00:04should not be seen as a trap in the case Vice President Sara Duterte.
00:09This process aims to avoid potential legal issues and to safeguard public trust in the impeachment proceedings.
00:16Daniel Manalastas narrates the story.
00:20The Senate Impeachment Court spokesperson assured the certification requested by the court
00:26should not be deemed as a trap, saying the court just wants to steer clear from all legal impediments.
00:34So, the disrespect for or attempts to undermine the impeachment court processes
00:40threaten the independence and credibility of the court and jeopardizes public trust on the process itself.
00:47Some congressmen earlier expressed concern that it might be a trap
00:51if the House submits a second certification required by the impeachment court.
00:56And in light of the new Congress,
00:58Senator Riza Honteveros has earlier proposed to make the new senator swear in as a senator judge.
01:04But according to the impeachment court spokesperson,
01:07Yung call po for swearing in of the senator judges will need to depend on the existence of a presiding officer or a senate president.
01:18Kasi po, ang senator judges will have to take their oath before the presiding officer.
01:23And as you know po, if one congress adjourns and another begins,
01:28the senate president is going to be elected or re-elected again.
01:33According to Atony Tonggol, the presiding officer,
01:37Senate President Jesus Codero wishes the oath-taking process not to be questioned
01:42that might be cause for a legal problem.
01:45So gusto ng presiding officer as a matter of prudence and diligence
01:48na gawin na lamang po yun kapag nag-elect na po ng senate president
01:53na tumatay yung presiding officer ng impeachment court ang 20th Congress.
01:58Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian voiced out his position regarding the trial.
02:03Yun ang aking posisyon.
02:05Even during the, even during the, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, the trial needs to begin.
02:12Whatever the defense will raise, whatever the defense, uh, the prosecution will raise,
02:17then doon natin pag-uusapan yan.
02:19At least out in the public at maririnig ng publiko.
02:22Ang aking posisyon, it should be presented to the public.
02:25So there's transparency.
02:27Daniel Manalastaz from the National TV for a new and better Philippines.
