Senator-Elect Tito Sotto Speaks on Remand of Duterte’s Impeachment to House
TITO SOTTO – The Senator-elect claimed that the late former Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago taught him that senator-judges can’t make motions.
The decision of the Senate to return the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives elicited different reactions. The said motion for remand was approved after 18 senators voted for support of the motion.
Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero clarified that the return of the articles of impeachment against Duterte to the House does not dismisses or terminates the impeachment case against the former President. According to him, it is a chance for the prosecution team to answer questions:
- The House of Representatives certified to the non-violation of Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within one year; include the circumstances on the filing of the first three impeachment complaints”; and
- The House of Representatives of the 20th Congress communicated to the Senate that it was willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.
All senators cast their votes on the motion. Eighteen (18) of the senator judges including Escudero, the presiding officer, were in favor of the remand of Duterte’s impeachment while only five (5) senator judges opposed to it.
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
Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel stressed that there is no concept of “return to sender” in the legal process. Another opposition senator, Risa Hontiveros, supported the same ground. Former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto also reacted to the return of Duterte’s impeachment to the House.
Previously, former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto who is a senator-elect stressed that the Senate should follow the rules in impeachment. According to him, the senator-judges should refrain from introducing a motion to maintain neutrality and impartiality in dealing with the case.
Recently, Senator-elect Tito Sotto revealed that it was the late former Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago who taught him that senator-judges can’t make motions. Based on a report on Inquirer, he stressed that only the defense and the prosecution are allowed to file motions.
“Sen. Miriam, who was a former RTC (Regional Trial Court) judge, taught me that in the 11th Congress. Senator-judges can only ask questions for clarification,” the former Senate President said.
Based on the report, Senator-elect Tito Sotto also seemingly has a response to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero’s claim that the Senate impeachment rules do not prohibit the impeachment court to return the articles of impeachment to the sender.
“Just because it’s not in the rules doesn’t mean it’s allowed!” Sotto expressed.
The former Senate President advised the incumbent senators to read the records and debates during the 11th Congress when the late former Sen. Miriam Santiago and others discussed the first impeachment.
“The reason for the robe and the decorum. Aral-aral muna bago putak!” he said.
Following his senatorial win, Senator-elect Tito Sotto claimed that there are people who are willing to support him to be the Senate president in the 20th Congress.