About VP Sara’s Sincerity

By Herbert Vego

IT is ironic that while Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio has repeatedly expressed “welcome” to her impeachment trial so she could answer the charges against her, the Senate – now on its dual role as the impeachment court –appears bent on aborting it on technical grounds that are now familiar to everybody.

Anyway, the question on whether it would be constitutional for the case to cross from the current 19^th Congress to the 20^th Congress in July appears to be simmering down. In fact, based on news reports, Inday Sara has already handpicked 16 lawyers to act as her counsels in the impeachment trial.

One of these lawyers could have goaded her into questioning the demand of her critics to inhibit her senator allies – specifically Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, and Robin Padilla – from sitting as senator-judges in the trial based on political bias.

If that were so, she argued, then those who are visibly not in favor of her, especially Senator Risa Hontiveros, should also be barred from the impeachment trial. Hence, the senators should be given the benefit of the doubt that they will properly do their jobs as judges in the trial.

Judging from actual bench practice, on the other hand, a judge may be forced to recuse himself from handling cases when conflict of interest arises.

But as far as the Senate convening itself as impeachment tribunal is concerned, that is not practical even if it would depend on “strength in number” regardless of the evidence presented. With 18 out of the 24 incumbent senators showing their bias for the impeached vice-president, do we see a reversal with the entry of incoming senators?

Of the five senators who are likely to side with the prosecution — Risa Hontiveros, Koko Pimentel, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Grace Poe — only Hontiveros and Gatchalian will remain in the 20th Congress.

Since VP Sara would need only 9 votes to win acquittal, the odds appear to be in her favor.

It would take 16 to convict and dismiss her from the vice-presidency.

In that case, why do her allies fear for her?

Deep inside, she herself would not want to be exposed to public scrutiny on live media coverage that would unfold on TV like a “telenovela”.

Briefly said, she is charged with misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, alleged murder plots against President Marcos, et al., and betrayal of public trust.

Simply put, it would pave the way for the viewing public to judge her – and the senator-judges, too – hence harmful to their political future.

-oOo-

17 YEARS AFTER TYPHOON  FRANK

TODAY, June 18, marks the 17^th anniversary of typhoon Frank, which buried Iloilo City under a six-foot flood on June 18, 2008. If you were already consciously alive on that day, you probably have unpleasant memories that still linger.

Personally, I lament having lost my camera, collectible old books and an old typewriter.

I recall having interviewed neighbors for their reactions.

One of them cited “karma” because of human acts harmful to the environment, as in polluting it with garbage that obstructs the free flow of rain water to the sea.

That ought to free the Lord from responsibility over fires, floods, earthquakes and many other natural disasters that are inappropriately called “acts of God”.

It is a misnomer because it paints the picture of man struggling to survive God’s punishment which could be in the forms of typhoon, flood, earthquake and tsunami, which are natural disasters.

One vital lesson that any natural disaster teaches us is “equality” between the rich and the poor. Both may lose everything and suddenly find themselves on equal footing.