A citizen watchdog has been launched in the Philippines to monitor Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, as turmoil inside the Senate threatens to deepen public doubts over whether the politically explosive proceedings can be handled fairly and constitutionally.
Members of civil society launched the coalition, called Bantay Senado (Senate Watch), on Monday, saying it would “help ensure that the impeachment trial is conducted transparently, fairly and forthwith, in keeping with constitutional requirements”.
More than 350 volunteers are part of the network, which the coalition says is made up of students and young professionals, and supported by “lawyers, academics and civil society”.
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The network described itself as non-partisan and said it “takes no position on guilt or innocence of the accused-impeached Vice-President Sara Duterte”, adding that its focus was on the “quality, transparency, and fairness of the proceedings”.
Political scientist Cleve Arguelles, convenor and spokesman of Bantay Senado, called the Philippine Senate’s obligation to hold a fair and impartial impeachment trial “a solemn duty owed to more than 110 million Filipinos”.
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He said: “Through Bantay Senado, we are asserting that the public is the fourth participant in this impeachment trial.”