Senate Spox Speaks on Impeachment Process vs. VP Sara Duterte
SARA DUTERTE – The spokesperson of the Senate said the impeachment process will push through even without the Vice President’s response to the summons.
The Senate impeachment court has decided to return the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Duterte to the House of Representatives. The ruling came after the 18-5 voting outcome among the senator judges.
According to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, the return of Duterte’s impeachment does not mean that the impeachment case is dismissed. He stressed that it is an opportunity for the House prosecution panel to answer questions before the impeachment court decides on the case.
The senator judges question the constitutionality of the impeachment of Vice Pres. Duterte. The Senate impeachment court also requests for reconfirmation from the 20th Congress. To prove that the impeachment case is not dismissed, Escudero cited the sending of summons to the Vice President.
Eighteen senator judges supported the motion to remand Duterte’s impeachment to the House. Only five (5) senator judges voted in opposition to the motion with no senator judge abstaining from the voting.
YES
- 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
NO
- Koko Pimentel
- Risa Hontiveros
- Sherwin Gatchalian
- Grace Poe
- Nancy Binay
The move of the Senate sparked several questions and gathered different opinions. Former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto claimed he learned from the late former Sen. Miriam Santiago that senator judges should not make motions. Former Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile who was part of two (2) impeachment trials before stressed that “forthwith” is clear in the Constitution.
Enrile was a senator judge during the impeachment trial of former Pres. Joseph Ejercito Estrada. He was the presiding officer during the impeachment trial of former Department of Justice (DOJ) chief Renato Corona. He called on the newbie senators to study so they will know their work.
Amid the return of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber asserted the constitutionality of the impeachment of the Vice President. Several members of the House have reacted to the move of the Senate which also sparked a response from the Senate impeachment court.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol said it is the first time he saw “litigants question the court”. According to him, the Senate impeachment court still awaits the certification from the House stating that the chamber did not violate the Constitution when it impeached Duterte.
Tongol further expressed that the Senate impeachment court is also waiting for the response of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the summons sent to her. She has until June 23 while the House has until June 30. Meanwhile, the Senate impeachment court’s spokesman said the impeachment process will continue even without the response of the Vice President.
“Nakalagay po sa Senate impeachment rules na magpapatuloy pa rin ang impeachment process kahit na hindi po sumagot, hindi mag-file ng answer,” he said.
Based on the report, the spokesman of the Senate impeachment court said that legal questions can be avoided if the House will comply with the order of the impeachment court. However, previously, a member of the lower chamber asked how they can comply if one of the requirements pertains to the 20th Congress which is not yet existing.
Amid the questions and criticisms against the move of the Senate as an impeachment, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero claimed that there are no limitations to what the impeachment court can or cannot do. Escudero also previously stressed that Duterte’s trial will start in the 20th Congress.