February 20, 2012 - Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson acknowledged on Monday that they cannot do anything about the on-going word war between President Benigno Aquino III and Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Sotto said that public quarrels were bound to happen during the course of the impeachment trial, especially so when you have one party, Pres. Aquino, he adds, who does not seem to relish listening to advice.

The lawmaker said that senators, even sitting as judges in an impeachment trial, cannot sanction either Aquino or Corona.

He explained that the subjudice rule, or the rule restricting comments and disclosures regarding court proceedings, do not apply to some government officials such as the President and the Chief Justice.

For his part, Sen. Lacson said it is the right of Aquino and Corona to express their sentiments. But he pointed out that there is a thin line between freedom of expression and the subjudice rule.

"So sa akin, dapat magfocus na lang kami sa pasok ng ebidensya, para pagdating ng tamang panahon, 'pag gagawa na kami ng hatol di kami madidistract sa sinasabi nyong word war (For me, it's best to just focus on the evidence so that, when it comes time to render the verdict, we wouldn't be distracted by the so-called word war)," Lacson said.

He added that he agrees with Sotto that both Aquino and Corona cannot be cited for contempt.

ACL / Reportage from Camille Elemia