A HUMAN RIGHTS lawyer warned that prolonged procedural debates during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could trigger what he aptly referred to as “impeachment fatigue.”
According to Atty. Dino De Leon, the impeachment court will have to be cautious against efforts designed to turn the impeachment proceedings to an ordinary criminal trial.
In a news dispatch sent to the media, De Leon also hinted at the possibility of an unnecessarily protracted proceedings, where lengthy technical motions and procedural disputes often consume months or even years.
Hence, the public may start to get bored — and eventually lose interest.
“Nagbabala ako sa posibilidad ng impeachment fatigue. Kapag masyado nating pinahaba ang paglilitis dahil sa mga procedural issues na karaniwan naman tinatalakay sa regular na hukuman, unti-unting mapapagod ang publiko at mawawala ang kanilang interes sa isang napakahalagang constitutional process,” De Leon said.
He stressed that while due process and adherence to the rules of the impeachment court must always be respected, senator-judges should remain focused on the core constitutional issues rather than allowing repeated technical arguments to delay the proceedings.
“Importante ang due process. Ngunit hindi dapat maubos ang oras sa paulit-ulit na teknikal na argumento na hindi naman tumutugon sa pinakapuso ng kaso. Ang tanong sa impeachment ay hindi kung may nakitang krimen lampas sa makatwirang pagdududa. Ang tanong ay kung nananatili pa bang karapat-dapat sa tiwala ng publiko ang isang mataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan,” he said.
According to de Leon, unlike criminal cases where the objective is to determine criminal liability, impeachment is a constitutional mechanism designed to protect public office and preserve public trust.
“Habang tumatagal ang paglilitis dahil sa mga usaping procedural, tumataas ang panganib na mawalan ng pasensya ang publiko. Kapag nangyari iyon, hindi lamang ang interes ng taumbayan ang naapektuhan kundi pati ang kredibilidad ng proseso ng impeachment mismo,” he added.
De Leon urged both the prosecution and the defense to present their evidence efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays so the impeachment court could fulfill its constitutional duty without losing the confidence and attention of the Filipino people.
