By Billy Begas
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon said Senator-judge Francis Escudero has taken better control of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“My impression is that it is moving better than where it was in the last two weeks. At least I can see a pace that gives me hope that this can be finished before the year is over,” said Drilon in an interview with Pinky Webb on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s On Point.
In the past two weeks, Drilon said, “I was worried that this would drag people to lose interest in the proceedings, and given the nature of an impeachment trial, I was concerned that it would drag on forever.”
“But in the last two days, I could see that Senator Chiz is exercising better control because there are certain facts that can be proven without the need for extensive questioning,” he added.
Drilon noted that it took six trial days in trying to prove the authenticity of the video recording of the online press conference where Duterte issued the threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez “when it could have been finished in one, two hours by the presiding officer saying the court takes judicial notice of this video that it existed that is authentic.”
“But anyway, those are already past us. So, we are, as I said, I think the pace that I have seen at least in the last two days is a good indication of how things are going,” the former Senate leader added.
Drilon also expressed his support for Escudero’s decision to limit the proceedings to matters that are related to the impeachment case.
“I support the position of Senator Chiz. It’s about time that he takes control of the proceedings. Complaints about the failure or the allegation that Senator Robin Padilla did not file his counter affidavit have no place in the proceedings,” he said.
“This is a trial by the impeachment court and only matters pertaining to the issues presented in the impeachment court should be discussed in the impeachment proceedings. All those alien to this, to the purpose, have no place. They should take that up either through their social media outlets or when the legislative work starts again next week. The inclusion of subjects alien to the purpose of the impeachment trial is wrong,” Drilon added.
Drilon said that Padilla, who is participating in an impeachment proceeding for the first time, “maybe he did not fully understand it.”
“But what Senator Chiz did at the start of the hearing today (Tuesday) is something that was needed in order to put the proceedings in proper place, in order that the proceedings will follow the purpose of the whole exercise. And that is to prove or disprove that the Vice President is not fitted to continue in office,” Drilon added.
