Romer Butuyan 
BUMILIB ang tatlong ranking officials ng Kamara sa pahayag ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III hinggil sa agarang paghahanda sa pagbuo ng Senate Impeachment Court sa inaasahang paghahain ng Kamara ng Articles of Impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Napakalinaw ng sinabi ni Senate President Tito Sotto na kapag naisumite ang articles of impeachment, kikilos agad ang Senado. That sends a strong signal that the process will not be delayed and that accountability will move forward,” wika ni Deputy Speaker at La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V.
“Hindi ito pwedeng patagalin o iwasan. Once the House transmits the articles, the Senate must convene and try the case. That is a constitutional command, not a political option,” dagdag niya.
Si Ortega ay isa sa endorsers ng tinaguriang Cabrera impeachment complaint na nag-aakusa sa bise presidente ng maling paggamit ng daan-daang milyong confidential and intelligence funds, pagbabanta sa buhay nina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Lisa Araneta-Marcos at former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, at ang pagkakaroon ng hindi maipaliwanag na yaman.
“Ang bigat ng mga paratang—mula sa confidential funds hanggang sa usapin ng yaman at pananagutan sa taumbayan. These are not issues that can be ignored or brushed aside. They must be tested in a full impeachment trial,” ayon kay Ortega sa isinusulong na impeachment trial.
“The House is doing the hard work of determining probable cause based on evidence. Kapag natapos ito at naipasa sa Senado, wala nang dahilan para hindi ituloy ang paglilitis,” sabi pa niya.
“Ang malinaw na mensahe ngayon ay tuloy ang proseso, walang atrasan. The Constitution lays down the path, and both the House and the Senate are duty-bound to follow it to its conclusion,” punto rin ni Ortega.
Sa panig ni House Assistant Majority Leader at Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, sinabi niyang ang pahayag ng lider ng Senado ay nagbibigay-katiyakan sa publiko na ang dalawang kapulungan ay magkaisa sa pagpapa-iral ng pananagutan lalo na sa hanay ng impeachable government officials.
“This is institutional coordination at its best—not collusion, but readiness. The message is clear: if the Articles are transmitted, the Senate will be prepared to act promptly because the case before it is expected to be substantial,” ani Adiong.
Nanawagan naman si Adiong sa taumbayan na hayaan at subaybayan ang impeachment process, at huwag magpadala sa ingay ng pulitika lalo na ang pagnanais ng iba na ilihis ang usapin.
“Let the evidence lead. Let the Constitution prevail. And let the truth come out in full view of the Filipino people,” pahayag pa ng Mindanaoan solon.
Ayon kay Adiong, “ang ganitong kaagang paghahanda ng Senado ay hindi ginagawa kung walang malinaw na batayan.”
“It suggests that many senators are already seeing that a substantial case is taking shape—one that could justify the House transmitting the Articles of Impeachment.” Dugtong ng head ng House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms.
“We will complete our work based on facts and law. But clearly, the Senate’s early readiness reflects a recognition that this is not a weak or dismissible case—it is one that may soon warrant full trial,” saad pa niya.
Ikinalugod naman ni Deputy Speaker at Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin ang nasabing pahayag ni Sotto at tiwalang maayos, na nasa takdang oras iiral ang constitutional process kaugnay sa mga alegasyon sa bise presidente.
“We appreciate Senate President Tito Sotto’s foresight and the seriousness with which he is approaching this process. Preparations at this stage help ensure that our institutions are ready to carry out their respective roles under the Constitution,” pahayag ng Iloilo lady lawmaker.
Ayon kay Garin, desidido ang House Committee on Justice na tapusin ang impeachment hearing sa Abril 29 at sa muling pagbubukas ng plenary session sa Mayo 4 ay maisasalang na rin sa botohan ang ilalatag na Articles of Impeachment para isumite sa Senado.
“The House is doing the work of building the record, carefully and within the rules. We are confident that the next stage, should it be reached, will likewise be guided by the Constitution and by the shared responsibility to ensure that the process remains fair, transparent, and credible.”
“The goal is not to prejudge any party, but to allow the process to unfold in the proper forum where facts can be tested and clarified,” giit pa ng ranking House official.
“This process ultimately serves the public interest. It is about upholding accountability while ensuring that fairness and due process are observed at every stage,” pahabol ni Garin.
