Politics · Philippines Bureau
Tulfo seeks disciplinary action against impeachment court spokesperson
Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo has called for the Senate impeachment court to admonish its spokesperson over what he characterized as repeated procedural missteps. Tulfo's move came after the spokesperson made statements to media that the judge said overstepped the tribunal's authority.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo on Monday asked the Senate impeachment court to take disciplinary action against its spokesperson, Reginald Tongol, citing multiple alleged errors in judgment and unauthorized public statements.
Tulfo objected to Tongol's recent media statement in which the spokesperson appeared to preempt the tribunal by discussing potential timelines for the court's final verdict on an ongoing impeachment case. The senator-judge argued that such pronouncements violated proper court protocols and undermined the integrity of the proceedings.
The call for admonishment reflects growing tensions over the impeachment tribunal's public communications strategy. Tulfo's complaint suggests disagreement among the judges over how case information should be handled and disclosed to the media, a critical concern given the high-profile nature of impeachment proceedings.
The Senate impeachment court has jurisdiction over impeachment cases filed against high-ranking government officials. The tribunal operates under specific rules of procedure that govern how its members and designated spokespersons may communicate with the public about ongoing cases.