Escudero explains Senate vote on 'returning' Sara Duterte impeachment to House

MANILA - Senate President and impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero on Tuesday said the court's 18-5 vote to return the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte does not mean it has been dismissed. 

 "Subalit nais ko rin sabihin dun sa mga... nagdududa sa loob o sa labas man ng bulwagang ito, maliwanag ang intention ng Senate court sa katatapos lamang na botohan," Escudero said. 

"Walang intention na idismiss ang kasong ito. Ang intention ay mabigyan ng pagkakataon na ang mga prosecutors ay sumagot sa mga ilang itinuturing na mga katarungan nang hindi inaaksaya ang panahon ng Korte at nang hindi pa hinuhusgahan ang bagay na ito," he added in his explanation on the Senate vote based on the motion of Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Ronald dela Rosa.

 "Ang ating pinagbotohan hindi hinusgahan na lumabag ang Kamara sa one-year ban, hindi hinusgahan na ayaw na ng ika-dalawampung Kongreso ang impeachment complaint na ito kaya nga po tayo magtatanong at mag-i-issue ng order."

Escudero added that the impeachment court still issued summons for Duterte to respond, as proof that the case has not been dismissed.

"Again, with the issuances of the summons in a few minutes from now, I think it would be made clear, that there is no such intention and that there is every intention by this impeachment court to comply with the rules at least in so far as the issuance of the summons under our Rules and during the 19th Congress."

"The court therefore, having been organized and their articles of impeachment having been referred thereto, hereby, issues the Writ of Summons to Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte who is directed to file her answer within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the summons and the copy of the complaint, pursuant to Article 7 of the Impeachment Rules," he said.