Photo credit: Senate PH

Veteran lawyer Lorna Kapunan warned senators against showing bias ahead of the possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying they are constitutionally bound to remain impartial once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court.

Speaking in a radio interview on dzMM, Kapunan stressed that senators who will serve as senator-judges must follow Senate impeachment rules requiring political neutrality and impartial justice.

“Mago-oath of office ang members ng Senado and under the Senate rules, kung hindi nila babaguhin, after they take their oath of office, approve nila ‘yung Senate rules of impeachment, dalawa ang bantayan natin because nakalagay diyan sa isang rule nila there will be political neutrality,” she said.

Kapunan explained that political neutrality means senators should not allow party loyalties or political alliances to influence their decisions during the trial.

She raised concerns over statements from some senators who have already expressed support for Duterte even before seeing evidence tied to the impeachment complaint.

“Ano ibig sabihin ng political neutrality? You cannot discriminate on account of your political affiliation. So ‘yung mga senador diyan na bumoto na, na nagsabi na they will be loyal to the vice president even without looking at the evidence, pwedeng i-question ‘yun. Where is your political neutrality? You are here to serve the people,” she said.

Kapunan also pointed to the oath senator-judges take during impeachment proceedings, saying it clearly requires fairness and obedience to the Constitution.

“Tapos specifically sa oath of office nila, nakalagay doon, ‘I shall observe impartial justice and follow the Constitution and the rightful laws.’ So dalawa ‘yan. Kung nagviolate sila, sino ang ija-judge? Ija-judge sila ng mga taong nakikinig,” Kapunan said.

She also reacted to remarks attributed to Senator Robin Padilla, who reportedly said he would oppose Duterte’s conviction and try to prevent the Senate impeachment court from convening because he believes it is the minority bloc’s role “to oppose.”

“Baka akala nila nasa pelikula siya na sinusundan lang niya yung script ng DDS. That is not correct kasi kapag senador ka, when you take your oath of office, like all public officials, ang oath mo is to defend, preserve the Constitution and defend the rule of law,” she said.

“Hindi naman sinabi sa oath of office na ‘I will defend since I’m minority, I will defend the minority position.’ In fact, there should be no minority or majority position. When you enter into the Senate, and even the congressmen, wala na ‘yung party affiliation,” she added.

Kapunan further argued that lawmakers are expected to represent the entire Filipino public and not just political blocs or allies.

“That by itself, ‘yung sinabi niya ‘I serve the minority’, that means he only serves a tenth of the Filipino people, he doesn’t serve the Filipino people at all or whatever the minority is,” she said.

If the House of Representatives approves the impeachment complaint against Duterte, the case will move to the Senate, which is constitutionally required to convene as an impeachment court.

A conviction would require a two-thirds vote, or at least 16 senators, which could remove Duterte from office and permanently bar her from holding public office in the future.