Barbers: There should be no double standard in enforcing sub judice rule

MANILA, Philippines – No one should get special treatment under the sub judice rule governing Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial, House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson robert Ace Barbers said Saturday.

“Kung talagang ipapatupad itong Rule 18, iyong sub judice rule ng impeachment court na ito, this must apply to everybody,” Barbers said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

“Hindi lamang sa mga public and private prosecutors, hindi lamang sa counsel for the defense, hindi lamang sa ating respondent, kasama dito iyong senator-judges,” he added.

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Barbers made the remark when asked about Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero’s reminder for senator-judges to observe impartiality and judicial decorum under the sub judice ruling.

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The question specifically raised public statements by Sen. Robin Padilla, but Barbers did not name or single out the senator in his response.

Instead, Barbers stressed that the restrictions should be enforced uniformly on everyone covered by the rule.

“Kaya nga if they are lenient doon sa iba, teka muna, bakit ganoon? Hindi dapat ganoon. This should be applied equally to all the parties in this trial,” he said.

Barbers said senator-judges who go beyond the restrictions should receive the same scrutiny as prosecutors, defense lawyers and other parties in the proceedings.

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“So kung meron mang senator-judges na nag-o-overboard, dapat equal ang attention. May mga pamantayan, may mga panuntunan naman,” he said.

Barbers noted that the ruling provides remedies for possible violations, including internal Senate mechanisms involving the Committee on Ethics for senator-judges.

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Escudero’s ruling reminded senator-judges to maintain impartiality and judicial decorum and pointed to remedies under Senate rules for possible violations by its members.

Barbers said the bottom line is that no one covered by the rule should be exempt from following it.

“So ito ay isang, kumbaga, parang rule na hindi dapat lalabagin ng kahit sinuman,” he said.

At the same time, Barbers reiterated his personal appeal for some leeway in enforcing the rule to allow the public to receive accurate information about the impeachment proceedings.

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“Sabi nga, itong impeachment ay sui generis. Baka sakaling pwedeng medyo luwag-luwagan natin dahil ang pinaka-objective sana ay ma-inform ang publiko kung ano iyong totoong nangyayari,” he said.