All senators should reject VP offer – Alan Peter

MANILA, Philippines — Just like impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero, fellow senators should reject any offer from Malacañang to take over the country’s second highest post in case Vice President Sara Duterte is convicted in her impeachment trial, Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said yesterday.

In a Facebook post, Cayetano lauded Escudero’s stand not to accept any offer to become vice president, as he called on the rest of the senator-judges to be neutral and focus on evaluating the pieces of evidence presented.

“This is correct. All of us senator-judges should make this declaration. It’s essential that in all impeachment proceedings (especially of presidents and vice presidents), senator-judges are politically neutral and will have no incentive to convict except for evidence that proves the article/s of impeachment,” Cayetano said.

According to the 1987 Constitution, the president may nominate a vice president in case of vacancy from among the members of the Senate or the House of Representatives.

Cayetano was reacting to Escudero’s remarks during a recent podcast, where the latter said it would be a conflict of interest if he were to benefit from Duterte’s removal from office.

“I will not accept for a simple reason, conflict of interest,” Escudero said.

Escudero said it was his personal stand not to accept the hypothetical offer and is not being imposed upon anyone. He stressed that there was nothing to reject because there was no proposal.