LACSON: PADILLA SHOULD CLARIFY ‘DISREGARD FOR LAW’ REMARK ON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

SENATOR-JUDGE Robinhood Padilla should clarify whether his remark about a “disregard for law” in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio was directed at the entire impeachment court or at specific senator-judges, especially after he hinted he and his allies may skip the trial, Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday.

Lacson said Padilla’s remark could be seen as a direct assault on the integrity of the entire impeachment court if he was referring to the body of which he is also a member.

“I don’t know what Sen. Padilla meant by ‘disregard for law’ or if he was referring to the entire impeachment court na member din naman siya. If so, hindi kaya maituturing na direct assault sa integridad ng korte ang mga bibitiwan niyang pananalita,” he said.

Also, Lacson said that if Padilla’s “disregard for law” remark referred to individual senator-judges, it is only fair that he should name them. 

“Marapat lamang na liwanagin niya kung buong impeachment court ba ang tinutukoy niya sa ‘disregard for law’ or ilang myembro lang. Kung ang huli, sana pangalanan niya ,” he added.

In a radio interview Sunday, Padilla said he and his allies may skip the impeachment trial if there is “disregard for the law.” 

He cited what he described as many surprising developments, adding that if the supposed twisting of the law continues, “baka dumating na punto na hindi na kami umattend.”

Earlier, Padilla and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the Senate’s impeachment court’s ruling on the voting threshold.