FORMER Senate President Franklin Drilon warned that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte must not fail, citing the country’s political history and cautioning that attempts to conceal evidence or undermine the process could trigger instability similar to the events that led to the ouster of former President Joseph Estrada.
Asked what he considered the greatest risk facing the country today, Drilon did not hesitate.
“To me, the greatest risk is the failure of the impeachment process, and I base that assessment on political history,” he said.
He pointed to the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada as a cautionary tale, which he recounted extensively in his memoir “Being Frank”.
Drilon, who served as senator judge in the impeachment trial against the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012 recalled that public outrage erupted after senators voted against opening what became known as the “second envelope,” a move widely viewed as an attempt to conceal evidence.
“That prompted an instability which resulted in the change of government. That is what we have to look out for. That is what our senators should be conscious about,” he added.
He warned that any attempt to suppress facts during the impeachment proceedings could provoke a similar public backlash.
“The people would not stand for hiding the truth. In an impeachment trial, the public would like to know the truth, and attempts to hide the truth will not be accepted by our people,” said Drilon, adding that the speed of information in the age of social media makes it far more difficult for political leaders to shape public opinion than it was two decades ago.
“That is why we should be careful, because in my opinion, when the people will notice that there is an attempt to hide the truth, especially for personal and political ends, I cannot predict what the people will do,” he said.
Drilon, who sat in two impeachment trials in his 24 years as senator, also offered unsolicited advice on how the Senate should conduct the impeachment trial itself.
“I advise my former colleagues, do not have an impeachment manager, because you are supposed to be a collegial body that is impartial. And while an impeachment manager can indeed be impartial, the projection can be different, Drilon said.
Instead, he suggested allowing Senate Secretary Renato Bantug and existing Senate officials to handle the administrative requirements of the trial.
“We have a clerk of the impeachment court, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug, who is very experienced and very impartial, and will be able to run the administrative needs of the impeachment court,” quipped.
