Senate President Pro Tempore Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s declaration that he would refuse to become vice president if Vice President Sara Duterte is convicted and removed from office has sparked online discussions about political interests and impartiality in the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Escudero, who presides over the impeachment court, said accepting a nomination to replace Duterte after participating in the decision to remove her would constitute a conflict of interest.
“I will not accept it because of a simple reason. Conflict of interest. We were the ones who decided. That does not seem right,” Escudero said in his podcast.
He clarified that no formal offer had been made and described his position as a matter of personal conviction. Asked whether the trial was proceeding fairly, he expressed confidence in the process and said, “I don’t have a decision; I have not decided yet.”
Amid the discussion, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano emphasized that all senators who sit as judges in impeachment proceedings should declare their political neutrality and ensure that their decisions are based on evidence, not incentives to convict.
“Tama po ito! All of us Senator-Judges should make this declaration,” Cayetano wrote in a Facebook post reacting to a report on Escudero’s statement.
“It’s essential that in all impeachment proceedings (especially of Presidents and Vice Presidents), Senator-Judges are politically neutral and will have no incentive to convict except for evidence that proves the article/s of impeachment,” he added.
_Netizens question whether senator-judges have already made up their minds_
Fernando Tagodin questioned whether some senators had already settled on their positions, commenting, “We all know na some senators are already made there mind! Luto!”
Mon Pascual Torres also expressed skepticism about the positions some senators might take, writing, “Let’s see….time will reveal. But for sure…Sotto and Lacson are ready.”
Rodolfo Quintero raised, “… but will remain the alter ego of the alternate VP” in response to Chiz’s statement.
Rose Arrienda called for the Senate to address statements that could raise questions about impartiality, writing, “The Presiding Officer should make rulings on expressed opinions by explicitly bold biased senator judges.”
Another commenter, Arnaiz Bing, posed a pointed question: “So decided to convict?”
The comments reflect concerns voiced by these netizens about possible prejudgment and the need for impartiality in the impeachment process. They do not, by themselves, establish that any senator has already decided how to vote.
The trial now focuses on Article II, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth and failure to fully declare assets and divest business interests, after prosecutors withdrew the three other impeachment articles earlier this month.