MANILA – Akbayan Party-list has called for the immediate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to ensure accountability and answers on what happened to the confidential funds of her agencies. 

The group's first nominee Atty. Chel Diokno said on Thursday the Senate should abide what is stated in the 1987 Constitution on impeachment.

"Palagay ko nandiyan naman talaga sa ating Saligang Batas yung salitang forthwith. Ngayon yung magiging debate na lang ano ba talaga ibig sabihin nun? Pero para sa akin, the real definition ng forthwith is agad-agad na gawin. Yun dapat ang sanang gawin ng ating Senado dahil iyan ang utos ng ating Saligang Batas," Diokno said.

"Magkakaalaman na tayo. Dahil ang talagang magsasabi kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng Constitution ay ating Korte Suprema. So I hope we get a definite ruling from the court," he added.

Diokno, a human rights lawyer, said the impeachment is a mechanism to see if a sitting official should still remain in their post.

"That's precisely the purpose why we have impeachment. Para malaman kung yung isang mataas na opisyal okay pa, fit pa siya na maupo lalo na bilang pangalawang pangulo. At yun din ang dahilan kung bakit natransmit na ng ating House of Representatives sa Senado yung articles of impeachment. The ball is in the court of the Senate," he added.

Akbayan Party-list second nominee and current Rep. Perci Cendaña said he agrees with the stand of House leaders that Duterte's move is an attempt to "evade accountability."

"Tingin ko nararamdaman na niya na malapit na yung reckoning doon sa mga pang-aabuso niya sa kapangyarihan. So nararamdaman na ni VP Sara na malapit na yung due date ng pang-aabuso niya sa kanyang kapangyarihan, yung kanyang pangdarahas at pangungulimbat niya sa pera ng taong bayan," he said.

Cendaña said the main goal is to speed up the process to hold Duterte accountable for her alleged abuse of power and misuse of confidential funds.

"So kahit anomang delay, delaying tactics na ginagawa ng kanyang kampo, it is a great disservice to democracy. Isa itong malaking banat, isa itong malaking lamat doon sa ating panawagan na immediately, ASAP i-hold siya accountable," he said.

Cendaña is the endorser of the first impeachment complaint filed against Duterte before the House.

He is also among the over 200 House members to sign the fourth complaint that impeached Duterte earlier this month.