Romer Butuyan 
KARAPATAN ng mga senador na tumatayong hukom sa impeachment trial ang magbato ng “clarificatory questions,” ayon kay former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.
Gayunpaman, nilinaw ni Barbers na tumatayong adviser at spokesperson ng House prosecution, hindi angkop na ipakita ang pagkiling ng ilang senator-judges sa kaalyadong akusado.
“Sa kanilang pagtatanong ng clarification, hindi po dapat nagpapakita ng bias. Kung meron mga ganon, I think they should be reminded by the presiding officer of the rules,” wika ni Barbers.
“At dapat ito ay isapuso nila dahil ito ay isang malaking isyu kung saan the whole nation is watching. Hindi lamang yung prosecution, hindi lang yung defense, hindi lang yung witness ang binabantayan at pinanunood nila rito,” dagdag niya.
“Pinanunood din nila ang ating mga senator-judges. I guess the presiding officer must remind them of their duty to remain impartial,” saad pa ni Barbers.
Sinegundahan naman si Kabataan partylist Rep. Renee Co ang tinuran ni Barbers.
“Para sa akin, the judges must always be impartial, and they will not show any bias. Dapat magtanong sila para maliwanagan,” anang neophyte partylist solon.
Samantala, partikular na tinukoy ni counsel for prosecutors and legal spokesman Atty. Benjamin Tolosa, Jr. ang pamamaraan ni Senator-Judge Imee Marcos sa paglilitis kay Duterte.
Una nang iginiit ni Imee na ang special disbursement officer ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) at Department of Education (DepEd) ang dapat sisihin kung may mali sa paggasta ng kabuuang P612.5 million confidential funds.
Para kay Tolosa, walang mali sa tinuran ni COA state auditor Roderick Wamil na nagsabing responsibilidad ng sinumang namumuno sa tanggapan ang anumang irregularidad.
“The higher responsibility and accountability is placed on the head of the agency. And he [Wamil] pointed to specific provisions of the law and yung joint circular kung saan nakalagay ho dyan, maliwanag na, it is the head of the agency who’s directly and primarily responsible for all funds and properties,” ani Tolosa.
“At nakalagay din sa joint circular that governs the use and liquidation of confidential funds, ang head of agency, siya ang inaatasan na siguraduhin na yung liquidation process under that joint circular will be properly and strictly observed,” punto pa ng abogado.
