Detained Sens. Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada have yet to submit a formal request to participate in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said on Wednesday.
Gatchalian was asked regarding the participation of the two senators facing plunder charges after they were elected to head a Senate panel each.
‘There is no formal request to the Senate – at least for me there is no formal request yet,’ the Senate president, speaking Filipino, divulged to the media.
Previously, Marcoleta sent a letter to Gatchalian regarding the impeachment trial.
But, Gatchalian clarified that Marcoleta made no ‘explicit’ mention on how he may participate in the impeachment proceedings.
‘Ang kanyang letter is about his opinion on the presiding officer, as well as yung opinion niya dun sa 16 votes,’ Gatchalian shared.
(His letter is about his opinion on the presiding officer, as well as his opinion on the 16 votes.)
The Senate president also explained that Estrada – who is currently suspended – may not participate as his suspension covers not only Estrada’s legislative duties, but also his role as a Senator judge.
Apart from Estrada and Marcoleta, Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa has also been absent from the impeachment trial as he is hiding from the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for his alleged involvement in the extrajudicial killings of the drug war.
Still, their colleagues from the Senate minority have expressed that the three are being treated unfairly, and must be given the opportunity to stand in Senate proceedings both as a legislative chamber and as an impeachment court