The Manila Times
THE senators who will launch a coup in the Senate to prevent the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will be "answerable" to the people, Sen. Erwin Tulfo warned. Tulfo said no one has approached him and his elder brother and fellow Sen. Raffy Tulfo to support any move to oust Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Sen. Win Gatchalian on Sunday said he was not aware of any threat to Sotto's position. "[The] Senate president is on stable ground," Gatchalian said. Sotto will be the presiding officer once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court to try Duterte. The other senators will act as judges. The Constitution mandates the Senate to convene "forthwith" as an impeachment court if the House of Representatives transmits the articles of impeachment against Duterte. The House will vote today, May 11, whether to bring Duterte's case before the Senate. At least 106 votes are needed to transmit the impeachment articles. Speaking in Filipino in a radio interview, Tulfo said the people will eventually ask why is there a need for a coup. "I think we should proceed to the trial so that you have a day in court. Some surveys show that the people are waiting. They wanted to hear [Duterte's side]," he said. Tulfo said if the coup rumors are true, the plotters' agenda will be exposed. "They will become obvious [in protecting Duterte] if they initiate a coup d'état." "How will they explain to the public that because of impeachment there is a need for leadership change. It's not the answer," he said. Sen. Robinhood Padilla, a member of the Senate minority bloc and a Duterte ally, has said he will oppose convening the Senate as an impeachment court. Gatchalian said Sotto's pronouncement with regard to the need to convene the Senate as an impeachment court was in line with the Senate's duty. "It’s not a matter of choice or change in leadership. It’s a responsibility of the Senate. You cannot delay it [convening as court] or not proceed with it because it was stated in the Constitution," he said. "It's very clear in the Constitution: [the Senate should] try it forthwith. And there's no other leeway. And this is part of the process and accountability mechanism of the Constitution," Gatchalian said. He said he is preparing for the trial, and has met with his external counsel to study the complaint against Duterte. "This case is complicated. There are many pieces of evidence. I read the entire [House justice] committee report. That's about 200 plus pages," Gatchalian said.
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