“SILENCE is not a weakness—it is a mark of discipline and integrity.”

Ito ang sinabi ni House Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan kasabay ng kanyang pagpuri sa mga senador na umiwas maglabas ng pampublikong pahayag hinggil sa merito ng impeachment case laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte, at sinabing ang kanilang pananahimik ay nagpapakita ng lakas, disiplina at integridad bilang mga hukom.

“We commend our senator-judges who have chosen the high road of restraint. Silence, in the context of an ongoing trial, is not passivity—it is professionalism,” ani Libanan, na miyembro rin ng House prosecution panel, sa isang pahayag.

“In this highly charged political moment, those who speak least may actually understand the gravity of their judicial role the most,” dagdag pa ni Libanan. “They recognize that the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, is a constitutional tribunal—not a venue for political theater.”

Binigyang-diin ni Libanan na ang pananahimik ng mga senador-hukom sa publiko ay nagpapakita ng pagiging patas at paggalang sa due process.

“It sends a powerful message that they are focused on duty and evidence, not optics,” aniya.

“We’ve seen members of the Senate resist the urge to grandstand or sway public opinion. Their restraint helps preserve the credibility of the impeachment process and protects it from being undermined by accusations of bias or prejudgment,” ayon kay Libanan.

Tinukoy rin niya ang itinatakda ng Konstitusyon na pagiging neutral ng mga hukom sa anumang legal o quasi-legal na proseso.

“Every statement a judge makes outside the courtroom is a potential challenge to fairness inside it. The discipline shown by some senators is therefore not just admirable—it’s essential,” diin niya.

Si Libanan, na kinatawan ng 4Ps Party-list, ay nanawagan din sa iba pang senador-hukom na tularan ang ganitong asal.

“We urge all senator-judges to uphold the same level of discretion. Let the facts and the Constitution—not noise—shape the outcome of this process,” aniya.

Sa kanyang pagtatapos, sinabi ni Libanan: “We thank those who lead by quiet example. In moments like this, silence is not weakness—it is a testament to integrity.”