'The honorable gentleman is not listening': Luistro draws cheers as he responds to Marcoleta — ANC

[0:00] Mr. Speaker, please recognize Representative Paolo Henry M. Marcoleta for his interpolation. [0:07] Representative Paolo Henry Marcoleta, Part 3, is hereby recognized. You have two minutes. [0:15] Thank you, Mr. Speaker, distinguished sponsor. [0:19] Madam Sponsor, could you please identify the exact rule, resolution, order, or House authority [0:27] that allowed the Committee on Justice to conduct impeachment hearing during the adjournment of session? [0:34] Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, let us be reminded by the distinction between an impeachment process vis-a-vis the legislative process. [0:49] The impeachment process is governed by Article 11 of the Constitution, whereas the legislative process is governed by Article 6 of the Constitution. [1:04] Suffice it to state that there is entirely big difference between an impeachment process and a legislative process. [1:15] As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, there is a different set of rules which govern the proceeding of impeachment. [1:26] In the same manner that there is a different set of rules that govern our legislative process. [1:33] Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, in other words, my distinguished colleagues, the impeachment process is not governed by breaks and recess. [1:47] And to validate that, Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives, before the break, before the start of the proceeding before the Justice Committee, [1:59] even passed a resolution expressly authorizing the Justice Committee to proceed with its hearing, [2:06] to exercise the compulsory process, and even to use the electronic mode of sending notices and documents. [2:16] Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, there is nothing under the rule which prohibits hearing of the Justice Committee during recess. [2:28] So, Madam Sponsor, wala pong maipakita na dokumento ang distinguished sponsor authorizing the committee to conduct hearings during adjournment. [2:52] Mr. Speaker, if I may continue, it seems to this representation that the Honorable Gentleman is not listening. [3:01] I have cited already that the House of Representatives passed a resolution. [3:07] Order, please. Silence. [3:09] That's why I'm asking for a resolution. Give me the copy. [3:15] May I request for a 30-second suspension? [3:19] Madam Sponsor, distinguished Mr. Speaker. [3:23] Session resumed. [3:44] May I be recognized, Mr. Speaker? [3:46] Before that, Majority Leader, I'd like to remind the people in the gallery, please observe strict silence. [3:55] Majority Leader. [3:55] Mr. Speaker, ganyan din po ang karanasan ko sa kumite. [4:00] Meron din audience participation. [4:02] May palakpakan, may hiyawan din po. [4:04] Kaya hindi na po bago sa akin itong ginagawa ng mga hakot ng mga audience na ito. [4:11] Anyway, Mr. Distinguished... [4:14] Representative Marcoleta, Majority Leader. [4:17] Mr. Speaker, to address the request of the Honorable Marcoleta, may request that the Secretary-General be directed to provide the Honorable Marcoleta a copy of the relevant plenary resolution authorizing the conduct of hearings. [4:33] Secretary-General, please, Secretary-General, please provide the necessary corresponding copies. [4:39] Please proceed, gentlemen. [4:40] And if I may read Article 11, Section 3, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution. [4:46] A verified complaint for impeachment may be filed by any member of the House of Representatives or by any citizen upon a resolution or endorsement by any member thereof, which shall be included in the order of business within 10 session days and referred to the proper committee within 3 session days thereafter. [5:05] The committee, after hearing, and by a majority vote of all its members shall submit its report to the House within 60 session days from such referral together with the corresponding resolution. [5:21] The resolution shall be calendared for consideration by the House within 10 session days from receipt thereof. [5:28] Doon po sa paragraph na binasa po, apat na beses pong binanggit ang session days. [5:35] Wala pong binanggit na pwedeng mag-hearing ang impeachment, ang committee on justice habang naka-adjourn ang both houses. [5:47] Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, for purposes of our records, I am reading from the House Resolution No. 892, the title of which, [6:02] Resolution Authorizing the House Committee on Justice to Implement Section 8 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings Relating to the Protection of Complainants and Witnesses, [6:15] and further authorizing the committee to continue the conduct of impeachment proceedings and the exercise of ancillary powers during the recess of the House of Representatives from 21 March, 2026 to 3 May, 2026. [6:34] It is respectfully submitted, Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, that all the proceedings before the Justice Committee is within the ambit expressly provided by the House of Representatives in Resolution No. 892. [6:51] Majority Leader. [6:53] Mr. Speaker, just to further assure the Honorable Mark Coleta that everything was done in accordance with our rules and with due process, [7:00] we did not adjourn Sinidye. We are still on our first regular session. That is why the plenary can authorize the committee to conduct their hearings if necessary. That's all, Mr. Speaker. [7:14] Mr. Speaker, Representative Mark Coleta, please wrap up your three minutes is up. [7:20] I'm still not furnished a copy. [7:22] Please wrap up your three minutes is up. [7:25] Let me go to my next question. [7:27] Madam Sponsor, when this case is elevated to the Senate, [7:32] Mr. Speaker, is the House asking the Senate to try the verified complaints as filed or the broader record developed by the committee during the hearings? [7:45] Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, based on our rules and based on the Constitution, [7:52] it is not the impeachment complaint, but instead the articles of impeachment that was approved by the Justice Committee, [8:00] which, upon approval of the House of Representatives, will be transmitted to the Senate. [8:07] Consequently, Mr. Speaker, the basis of the trial is not the impeachment complaint, but the articles of impeachment. [8:15] Which brings me to the follow-up question, Madam Sponsor, can you confirm for the record whether every factual allegation in the articles of impeachment appears in the verified complaints [8:27] or in their attorneys or in their attachment, and not merely in testimony or documents later introduced during the committee hearings? [8:36] Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, we confirm that the contents of the articles of impeachment are consistent to the contents of the impeachment complaints [8:46] which were deliberated upon before the Justice Committee. [8:50] Mr. Speaker, we have to consider as well that under the rules, notwithstanding the fact that the evidence is not attached to the complaint, [8:58] so long, so long as it is relevant to the impeachment complaint, the same is allowed by the rules of impeachment. [9:07] Representative Markuleta, your time is up. Your three minutes is up. [9:11] Mr. Speaker, evidence may support a pleaded charge, but should not become a substitute for a verified charge. [9:17] And let me go to my... [9:19] Your time is up, Representative Markuleta. [9:21] Last question. I'll allow you last question. [9:25] Madam Sponsor, did the committee ever formally amend, require amendment of, or authorize supplementation of the verified complaints [9:34] to include factual matters that emerged only during the hearings? [9:40] Mr. Speaker, we are consistent to the contents of the impeachment complaint. [9:46] And if the honorable gentleman is requiring the Justice Committee to make it as a parameter that they should all be expressed in the impeachment complaint, [9:55] then he is not aligned to the rules of impeachment. [9:58] The rules of impeachment expressly allow even other relevant evidence, which means, notwithstanding that they are not expressly mentioned in the impeachment complaint, [10:11] so long as they are relevant, they can effectively form part of the Articles of Impeachment. [10:16] Majority Leader, thank you to the Honorable Markuleta. [10:21] Thank you.