OVP Speaks on Looming Impeachment Trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte amid Issues
SARA DUTERTE – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) claimed that the Vice President is ready and eager to present her evidence in the impeachment trial.
Previously, after the senators took their oath as senator judges, the Senate impeachment court ruled to return the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives. Eighteen (18) senators voted in favor of the motion to remand the impeachment document.
The Senate impeachment court questioned the constitutionality of the impeachment. Meanwhile, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero made it clear that the 18-5 voting to return Duterte’s impeachment to the House does not equate to the dismissal or termination of the impeachment case.
Only five (5) senator judges opposed the motion to return Duterte’s impeachment to the House. Here are the lists of the senator judges who voted in favor and against the motion:
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
Recently, amid the speculations and doubts if the trial will push through, Senator Joel Villanueva claimed that four to six senators agree to start the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte on August 4. The Office of the Vice President made a statement on the readiness of Duterte following a Social Weather Station survey.
The SWS survey revealed that more Filipinos want her to answer to the impeachment charges. Based on a report on Inquirer, OVP spokesperson Atty. Ruth Castelo claimed that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is eager to present her side in the impeachment trial.
“The Vice President is ready. She’s been saying that. And she’s eager to be able to present her case or her evidence in the impeachment court so that once and for all, all doubts cast on her will go away,” the OVP Spox said.
Based on the report, Castelo also expressed that they will wait for the decision of the Supreme Court on the petition filed seeking for the dismissal of the impeachment case. According to the OVP Spox, if the impeachment trial will go as planned, “the Vice President is still there”.