Photo credit: Rep. Jude Acidre

House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chair Jude Acidre said the Senate should concentrate on the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte instead of reopening separate investigations into the flood-control controversy.

Speaking in an interview on One PH’s Morning Matters, Acidre said accountability must move through the proper legal process, especially now that complaints related to the flood-control issue have already been filed and are being handled by the Ombudsman.

According to Acidre, the Senate’s priority should be its constitutional role as an impeachment court, where senators will decide whether to convict or acquit Duterte based on the Articles of Impeachment transmitted by the House.

He stressed that the same principles of due process and evidence being demanded in the impeachment proceedings should also apply to other controversies, including the flood-control allegations.

Acidre warned that reopening multiple issues at the same time could distract the public, blur important issues, and weaken focus on the impeachment trial.

“Accountability cannot be done with shortcuts,” he said, adding that political distractions could make it harder for the public to follow the facts clearly.

The lawmaker also emphasized that the Ombudsman should be allowed to continue its investigation without interference, while the Senate focuses on the one responsibility only it can perform — acting as senator-judges in the impeachment case against the Vice President.

For Acidre, keeping the impeachment proceedings orderly and focused is crucial, especially during what he described as a major constitutional moment for the country.