HINIMOK ni Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, chair ng House committee on justice na dumidinig sa mga reklamong impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, ang mga kapuwa mambabatas na ituring ang kaso bilang tungkulin nila sa sambayanang Pilipino, at hindi sa mga kaalyado sa politika, katunggali o religious blocs, habang papalapit ang Kamara de Representantes sa pormal na pagdinig ng kaso sa Marso 25.

“Sa aking mga kasama sa House of Representatives, this impeachment process is our constitutional duty to the sovereign Filipino people. I’ve said this before and I will say it again: we do not owe our fidelity to the President, neither do we owe our fidelity to the Vice President. Wala din tayong utang sa mga religious group. Ang pinagkakautangan natin ay ang sambayanang Pilipino,” ani Luistro noong weekend sa Laban Para sa Karapatan radio program nina Atty. Lorna Kapunan at Jaime Regalario sa dwIZ.

Sinundan niya ang panawagang ito ng isang tuwirang paalala na, sa kanyang pananaw, mas higit pa sa institusyonal na paggalang o pag-iingat sa politika ang nakataya.

“So let us be honest in our duty to the sovereign Filipino people in hearing this impeachment complaint and later on in voting on this impeachment complaint, because what is at stake is the future of the country,” saad pa ni Luistro.

Inilarawan ni Luistro ang proseso ng impeachment hindi bilang isang kasong kriminal, kung saan kailangang patunayan ang bawat elemento ng isang paglabag na itinatakda ng batas, kundi bilang isang pagsusuring konstitusyonal kung ang isang opisyal ng gobyerno ay nananatiling karapat-dapat na magpatuloy sa panunungkulan.

“I think what we should remember about the impeachment is what we’re trying to test is the fitness, the fitness of the public official to continue as you may in this position. And fitness as well to run for any public office in the future,” sinabi niya.

Ayon sa kanya, mahalaga ang pagkakaibang ito upang maunawaan kung bakit hindi maaaring sukatin ang impeachment gamit ang parehong pamantayang ginagamit sa karaniwang mga reklamong kriminal.

“So pag ang pinag-usapan natin is criminal prosecution, we’re talking about elements. Kung wala ’yong elements, definitely madi-dismiss ’yong kaso,” ani Luistro. “Dito sa impeachment, what we’re trying to see is the fitness of the public official to continue serving.”

Sinabi ni Luistro na ang mismong Konstitusyon na ang nagtatakda ng mga batayan at balangkas ng proseso.

“And that is why the grounds are so exclusive and distinct from the revised penal code. Di ba? Pag sinabi natin grounds, aanim ito, culpable violation, betrayal of public trust, high crimes, threat, graft and corruption, ano pa nga isa? There’s one more, treason. Pag lumabas diyan sa anim ’yan, wala na because it’s exclusive in character,” paliwanag niya.

“And it is not really comparable to a criminal prosecution na ang hahanapin mo talaga each and every element of the crime. If you fail in one, dismissible na agad ’yong impeachment complaint.

Dito we are guided by the phraseology ‘fitness to perform a public office’,” dagdag ni Luistro.

“To be exact, ano ang sabi ng Constitution? Public office is a public trust. Public officials are accountable to the people at all times. Hindi lang during election time but even during the service in public office,” saad pa ni Luistro.

Aniya pa, ang mga nagbabalak tumakbo sa posisyon sa hinaharap ay dapat ding husgahan sa parehong pamantayan.

“And it is important that all who are desiring to occupy a public position in the future should be the best example of this mandate of accountability,” sinabi niya.

“Kung sinabi nating accountability, this is the opposite of impunity. Pag impunity kasi ibig sabihin no’n kahit mag-commit ka ng crimes, you will no longer be accountable. Pero pag sinabi natin accountability which applies to public officials, it means we are always answerable to the sovereign Filipino people,” ani Luistro.

Ang pahayag na ito ay may malinaw na bahid ng politikal na mensahe, lalo na’t hayagan nang inihayag ni Duterte ang intensiyon na tumakbo sa pagkapangulo sa 2028.

“I think it’s for the sovereign Filipino people to watch and decide as to who will be the next president ’no. In relation to this impeachment process. Kasi we’re talking about, hindi kasi maihiwalay ’yong 2028 election. And the Vice President already pronounced her intention to run. So I think this is one avenue for the Filipino people to see whether or not the Vice President is really fit to be the next president in 2028,” saad ni Luistro.