Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel Speaks on Returning the Articles of Impeachment to House
KOKO PIMENTEL – The Senate Minority Leader who moved for the immediate start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial was saddened by the turn of event.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero previously decided to move the schedule for the reading of the articles of impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte from June 2 to June 11. According to him, the Senate and the House of Representatives still have several key measures that must be passed before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 30.
The delay in the impeachment process did not sit well with many people. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and Sen. Risa Hontiveros moved to request the start of the impeachment trial against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The two (2) senators have always maintained that the impeachment trial should have been started right away.
On the same day, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero took his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court in the trial against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The rest of the senators took their oath as senator-judges of the impeachment court. Aside from senators Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos, and Robin Padilla, the rest of the lawmakers in the upper chamber wore their robes as they took an oath.
However, on the same day, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano filed a motion to remand or return the articles of impeachment against Duterte. It gained the support of majority of the senators in the upper chamber.
Only five (5) senators name Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and senators Risa Hontiveros, Sherwin Gatchalian, Grace Poe, and Nancy Binay opposed the motion of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. The following senators voted for the return of the aricles of impeachment to the House:
- Alan Peter Cayetano
- Pia Cayetano
- Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
- JV Ejercito
- Chiz Escudero
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Bong Go
- Lito Lapid
- Loren Legarda
- Imee Marcos
- Robin Padilla
- Bong Revilla
- Francis Tolentino
- Raffy Tulfo
- Joel Villanueva
- Cynthia Villar
- Mark Villar
- Juan Miguel Zubiri
Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel admitted that he is disappointed and saddened by the remand of the articles of impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives. Based on a report on GMA News, Pimentel looks at the “saving grace” in the situation despite what happened.
“Ako’y nalulungkot; may saving grace na lang tayo na may pinadala na summons,” he said.
Based on the report, Sen. Koko Pimentel also stressed that there is no concept of “return to sender” in the legal proceedings. Despite the return of the articles of impeachment to the House, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero clarified that the case is not dismissed by the move.