Senate should heed SC – Escudero

MANILA, Philippines – Let’s not debate it. Let’s just follow it.

This was the view expressed by Sen. Francis Escudero when asked about how the senators should react to the Supreme Court’s TRO (temporary restraining order) on the subpoena covering the dollar accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona in the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).

The senator-judges have scheduled a caucus on Monday, February 13, to tackle the TRO and whether or not they should heed it.

“Ni hindi na nga dapat pagbotohan. Dapat automatic ‘yon kapag utos ng korte,” he told reporters on Friday. “Hindi naman tayo namimili ng desisyong susundin.” Escudero said the Senate should automatically heed the Court’s order.

To do otherwise, according to Escudero, would cause a clash between the High Tribunal and the Senate, and may trigger a constitutional crisis.

“Bilang mamamayan, may mga batas tayong dapat na sinusunod, sang-ayon man tayo diyan o hindi,” he said. As responsible citizens, Escudero added, senators should follow orders whether they agree with such orders or not.

Other senators don’t share Escudero’s views. Sen. Francis Pangilinan has criticized the TRO.

Escudero explained that neither the impeachment court nor the SC is higher than the other in this case.

What the High Court can’t do, however, is to stop the impeachment trial, according to Escudero.

Corona’s petition before the Supreme Court asks for 2 major things: a TRO on the subpoena issued to the banks and a stop to the ongoing impeachment trial. – Rappler.com