Rep. Benny Abante explains why he dozed off during impeachment trial
Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante aired his side after he was caught dozing off during the Sept. 28 impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
As the senator-judges made interjections with the witness Rendell Sopeña, a division chief of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero called on a couple of House of Representatives members present to wake the congressman.
"May I ask Congressman [Mike] Defensor, Congressman [Ace] Barbers to kindly nudge Cong. Benny a bit. It seems he's tired. He may want to rest somewhere, but at least not right behind the witness," Escudero said.
House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro made the moment lighter with a quip: "Your Honor, I think he's praying for us. He's praying for the prosecution.
However, Escudero shut this down and said, "I doubt that," with a smile.
"It's been a long day, I guess, for [Rep. Abante] because he just approved a budget last week," the presiding judge added, referring to the House concluding plenary deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget worth P7.2 trillion on Sept. 25.
While trial was suspended, Abante explained why he dozed off.
"Gising na ako ah," he told reporters, including The Philippine STAR, in an ambush interview. "Nakakaantok 'yung mga tanong ng defense lawyers eh kaya medyo nakatulog ako."
"'Di ko narinig 'yung sinabi ni Sen. Chiz. Masarap makinig, pero 'pag malamya na tanong ng mga defense lawyer... 'Yung mga tanong kasi ng mga defense lawyer, palaging ino-object ng prosecution [dahil] 'di naman ayon doon sa dapat isagot ng witness, so para bang nilalansi tayo," he continued.
According to Abante, he stayed and moved to the back of the plenary hall to listen to the proceedings.
Asked by reporters if he had any coffee to wake him up, Abante said, "Hindi pa. Alas dos na ako natulog eh."
The Senate has been holding the impeachment trial of Duterte since July. She faces a total of four impeachment articles alleging the misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and procurement irregularities, grave threats, and high crimes.
If the Senate impeachment court finds her guilty of the charges, Duterte will be removed from her current post and permanently barred from holding public office.