Senator Francis Escudero said he did not seek or request to serve as presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, but accepted the responsibility entrusted to him by the Senate.
Speaking on his podcast released Sunday, Escudero said he neither wanted nor lobbied for the role but would not turn away from the responsibility of helping the Senate and the impeachment court carry out their constitutional duty.
“I did not seek this, I did not ask for this, and I did not look for this. But I will not turn my back on the responsibility entrusted to me to help the Senate and the impeachment court get through this chapter of our history,” he said.
Escudero also explained that this was the reason he abstained from the July 6 vote confirming his designation as presiding officer, resulting in 12 affirmative votes.
The Senate president said he does not feel pressured by his role, describing it as part of a senator’s responsibilities when designated to preside over an impeachment trial.
He added that his primary function is to serve as a neutral referee between the prosecution and defense during the proceedings.
