MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday urged his fellow senator-judges to set aside personal political ambitions in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying they must ensure their judgment is not influenced by the prospect of assuming higher office.
Cayetano welcomed Senate Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s declaration that he would decline the vice presidency if Duterte were convicted and removed from office, citing a potential conflict of interest because the Senate would have decided her fate.
“Nobody had offered him the position. He could have kept quiet and left the possibility open. Instead, he gave people a reason to trust that his vote would not be influenced by the prospect of becoming Vice President,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“With so much doubt surrounding our politics, I think we need more of that,” he added.
Cayetano said he had invited his fellow senator-judges to make the same commitment, stressing that the proposal was intended to address concerns about impartiality, not prejudge the outcome of the trial.
“Everyone remains free to decide. I hope we can consider the concern behind the invitation before taking offense at being asked,” he said.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian had said it was improper to discuss the outcome of the impeachment trial in advance, assuring the public that the Senate would reach a fair and impartial decision. Sen. JV Ejercito likewise described discussions about the vice presidency as premature while the trial remained ongoing and the verdict uncertain.
Cayetano acknowledged that he initially shared those reservations, saying the Senate should not discuss a successor as though Duterte’s conviction were already certain.
“But when should we make clear that we will put personal interests aside? Must we wait until we have voted or someone offers us the position?” he said.
He stressed that senators could remain open-minded about the evidence while deciding beforehand whether they would accept the vice presidency should a vacancy arise.
“We can keep an open mind about the evidence while deciding what we would be willing to accept afterward,” Cayetano said.
“Senator Chiz’s commitment does not presume a conviction. It assures the public that he will not accept the office his vote might help make vacant,” he added.
Under the Constitution, the president may nominate a replacement for a vacant vice presidency from among members of the Senate or the House of Representatives, subject to confirmation by both chambers of Congress. A senator remains free to decline the nomination.
