PH's oldest business group adds pressure for VP's impeachment trial to begin
The Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI), the country's oldest business institution, has joined the call for Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial to begin, adding to the mounting pressure for the Senate to immediately proceed with its Constitutional duty.
In a statement, the CCPI, founded in 1886, said it calls on the Senate 'to perform their Constitutional and moral duty to immediately commence the Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio and its continuation into the 20th Congress until acquittal or conviction, as called for by the esteemed professors of the UP College of Law and of the Ateneo de Manila.'
Last week, several educational institutions including the Ateneo schools, the Lasallian Family, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas called for the Senate to begin the trial.
'The Constitution is very clear: in case a resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of the Members of the House…..trial by the Senate shall FORTHWITH proceed,' CCPI said.
The business group emphasized that the word 'forthwith,' in any dictionary, means "immediately" or 'without delay."
'The Constitution does not recognize changes in the membership of the Senate, nor does it recognize recess or breaks, because the Senate no longer acts as a Legislative Senate per se, but as an Impeachment Court having acquired automatic jurisdiction over the Impeachment case per the Constitution,' CCPI said.
'We are a country that is governed by the 'Rule of Law,' not of Men. The Senate Impeachment Court should also not deny the right of the Vice President to due process,' it said.
The country's oldest trade group said not following the Constitution would create an environment of instability, which impacts negatively on the business community, locally and internationally.'
'We pray that the Members of the Senate will properly and duly perform their Official Duties as mandated by the Constitution,' CCPI said.
After the start of the impeachment trial was delayed for some weeks, the Senate on Tuesday finally convened as an impeachment court. — BM, GMA Integrated News
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