Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol (left) and House prosecution panel spokesperson Antonio Bucoy (Photos from REGIE TONGOL & ASSOCIATES LAW AND COMMUNICATIONS Facebook and screengrab of Antonio Bucoy)
MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel has accused Senate impeachment court Spokesperson Reginald Tongol of following the footsteps of “some biased senators” after he allegedly appeared to have “lawyered” for Vice President Sara Duterte.
Antonio Bucoy, spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, criticized Tongol for saying that “if he were the vice president, he would file a motion to dismiss the case.”
“If you will recall, I heard a sound bite from the statement of the Senate spokesperson, Atty. Tongol. He said, ‘You know, if I were the vice president, I will file a motion to dismiss,’” Bucoy said in an interview over Headstart on Thursday.
“Why is he hinting? Why is he telegraphing?” the House prosecution panel spokesperson wondered.
According to Bucoy, Tongol appeared to have suggested “a legal strategy” for the vice president.
Bucoy warned that such “lawyering” can signal efforts to derail her upcoming impeachment trial.
“He is the spokesperson of the Senate, so we can assume he is speaking the minds of the Senate. It’s because he is the spokesperson,” he said, referring to Tongol.
“Like me, I’m the spokesperson for the prosecution. What I say might bind them, or it can reflect the mindset of the prosecutors,” Bucoy pointed out.
He further criticized Tongol, calling the latter’s acts not only “grossly inappropriate,” but also “outright wrong.”
During the interview, Bucoy was asked why Tongol is seeming to be “lawyering” for Duterte.
Bucoy answered and alleged that Tongol is following the steps of some prejudiced lawmakers.
“That’s it. He is following the footsteps of some of the biased senators – the likes of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who, as a judge, moved to dismiss,” said the House prosecution panel spokesperson.
“The judge doesn’t move to dismiss. It’s the parties that do that, right?” asked Bucoy.
But Tongol countered Bucoy’s remarks on Friday by simply saying that anyone can confirm and verify the context in which he made the statements as videos and transcripts of it are available online.
“You will find that I am not advocating for one side or confusing the public, but simply answering the scenario-setting questions posed to me in accordance with my experience in litigation,” the Senate impeachment court spokesperson said in a statement.
He also emphasized that this is part of his duty, not only as a spokesperson, but also as a lawyer, to explain the legal proceedings to everyone.
“The Impeachment Court operates independently of the parties and is committed to neutrality, fairness and due process,” Tongol said.
“Respect for the court is fundamental to democracy so it is vital for the stability of this democracy for all to work together with mutual respect, for all to support this process, and for litigants to avoid unnecessary attacks that only serve to hinder our collective efforts to proceed with the impeachment process,” he added.
In an unexpected turn of events, the senator-judges took their oath and subsequently agreed to convene into an impeachment court on June 10.
This was ahead of the initial schedule agreed upon by the senators at the plenary which had set the convening date on June 11.
The chamber initially convened into an impeachment court to decide on the motion made by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa which sought to dismiss the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.
But hours after their deliberation, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano made a motion to amend the other senators’ recommendations.
Cayetano asked that the Articles of Impeachment be returned to the House of Representatives, without dismissing or terminating the case, until such time that the actions below are done:
- The House of Representatives certifies the non-violation of Aricle XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year”; including the circumstances on the filing of the first three impeachment complaints;
- The House of Representatives of the 20th Congress communicates to the Senate that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the vice president. /apl