Chiz to refuse VP post if VP Sara is convicted
Philippine Senator Francis Escudero has stated he will refuse any offer to replace Vice President Sara Duterte if she is removed from office via impeachment. He cited a conflict of interest, arguing that a judge in the impeachment trial should not benefit from the outcome of the proceedings.
Why it matters
This declaration addresses concerns regarding the integrity of the impeachment process and potential political maneuvering within the Philippine government.
MANILA, Philippines - Impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero on Sunday expressed full confidence in the fairness of the ongoing impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, while categorically declaring that he would refuse the vice presidency if she is convicted and removed from office.
Under the Constitution, if the vice presidency becomes vacant, the President nominates a replacement from the members of Congress.
With several critics and analysts alleging that Escudero may have been offered to replace Duterte if she is convicted, he stated that accepting such a nomination after serving as a senator-judge would be a massive ethical breach.
"I will not accept it because of a simple reason. Conflict of interest. We were the ones who decided. That does not seem right," Escudero said in his podcast, arguing that it is highly inappropriate for a judge to take the seat of the official they just ousted.
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