The House prosecution team said that everyone has the right to file a petition questioning the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, to install a new presiding officer for the impeachment trial instead of the Senate President, but described the petition as a "waste of paper".
Several petitioners, led by lawyer Israelito Torreon, filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Tuesday to halt Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case arguing that the proceedings were conducted under a presiding officer whose authority was derived from what they described as a constitutionally invalid Senate action.
In a press briefing at the Senate, House Impeachment Spokesman and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said that no one is stopping anyone from filing a petition at the Supreme Court to question the proceedings.
He, however, said that all issues were already resolved on the first day of the trial.
"This is an internal rule of the Senate. The impeachment trial is an internal or exclusive power given by the Senate. So, it logically follows that the members of the court, the senators sitting in the court, will also decide who will be their presiding officer," Adiong said.
Meanwhile, House Prosecutor and Bicol Saro Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon said quoting the transcripts of the deliberations of the 1986 Constitutional Convention is not anymore "controlling" because the 1987 Constitution has been ratified by the people in a plebiscite.
"What's ratified by the people is what's spelled out in that specific provision in the Constitution. So, it's very clear that that's one of the answers when there are opinions that came out during yesterday's first day of the trial. And the senator judges have already concluded and settled that issue," Ridon said.
He also said that Torreon's petition is just a "waste of paper" and dismissed them as being more identified with the respondent, Vice President Sara Duterte.
"It is very obvious that everything they're doing is to delay. And unfortunately, they were frustrated by the Constitution because it has already started," Ridon said.
