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'Tuloy na tuloy': House prosecutors optimistic Sara Duterte trial will proceed

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x3QsRV_Msaw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>MANILA — House prosecutors on Wednesday said they are optimistic that the Senate trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed despite the upper chamber&#x27;s move to return the complaint to them to clarify legal questions.</p><p>Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville &quot;Jinky Bitrics&quot; Luistro, representing the House prosecutors, said they welcome <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/senate-impeachment-court-issues-summons-for-vp-sara-duterte-1117">the issuance of summons to Duterte</a>.</p><p>The move, she said, means that the impeachment court has already acquired jurisdiction over the vice president.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/-not-co-equal-escudero-says-house-cannot-defy-impeachment-court-s-orders-1325">&#x27;Not co-equal&#x27;: Escudero says House cannot defy impeachment court&#x27;s orders</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NO ONE CAN STOP THIS ANYMORE&#x27;</strong></div><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung pag-acquire ng [jurisdiction ng] impeachment court sa ating respondent, it only shows na tuloy na tuloy na ang impeachment trial,&quot; said Luistro, adding &quot;no one can stop this anymore.&quot;</p><p>(The impeachment court acquiring jursidiction of the respondent only shows the impeachment trial will happen) </p><p>Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa on Tuesday argued that earlier complaints filed against Duterte at the House, which had not been referred to a committee, had constituted multiple impeachment proceedings within the same year, which is banned by the 1987 Constitution.</p><p>A majority of 18 senators voted in favor of the motion to remand the impeachment case back to the House, which must now certify that it did not violate the Constitution. </p><p>The Senate also told the House to certify when it convenes in the 20th Congress that it is willing to prosecute the case.</p><p>Luistro said they will seek clarification from the impeachment court, which is being presided over by Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero, regarding its order to certify the articles of impeachment did not violate the charter.</p><p>She said they maintain their position that the complaint &quot;fully and strictly&quot; followed the 1987 Constitution, adding that they did not violate the one-year bar rule.</p><p>The lawmaker also pointed out that it was &quot;impossible&quot; for the House of the 19th Congress to comply with the Senate impeachment court&#x27;s second order because the 20th Congress does not exist yet.</p><p>She stressed that the House has done its work &quot;as far as initiating the impeachment complaint is concerned,&quot; adding it would be improper to amend or withdraw the case.</p><p>&quot;As a matter of fact the ball now is in the hands of the Senate, whose mandate by the Constitution is to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/monsod-senate-s-job-is-to-try-sara-duterte-not-question-constitutionality-of-impeachment-1409">try and to decide</a>.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/supreme-court-asked-to-prevent-continuation-of-impeachment-from-19th-to-20th-congress-1331">Supreme Court asked to prevent continuation of impeachment from 19th to 20th Congress</a><br/><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6-mMOFnC6E?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DANGEROUS PRECEDENT&#x27;</strong></div><p>House impeachment prosecutor Lorenz Defensor of Iloilo told DZMM on Wednesday that the Senate set a &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/senate-sets-dangerous-precedent-with-duterte-impeachment-case-remand-expert-lawmaker-1153">dangerous precedent</a>&quot; by sending the impeachment complaint back to the House, which he said was &quot;a clear breach&quot; of senators&#x27; duty and public trust.</p><p>&quot;To remand is not an option; it is either acquit or convict after trial. Malinaw na pagsagasa ito sa ating Konstitusyon at sa ating demokrasya,&quot; he said.</p><p>(This is a clear railroading of our Constitution and our democracy)</p><p>The House impeached Duterte in early February on charges of graft, corruption and an alleged assassination plot against one-time ally and former running mate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>A conviction, which requires the support of two-thirds of the Senate&#x27;s 24 members, would mean her removal as vice president and a permanent ban from public office.</p><p>Tuesday&#x27;s 18-5 decision came just hours after senators had taken their oaths as senator-judges, and followed days of wrangling that had raised fears the trial process was headed for derailment.</p><p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who opposed the motion, warned that returning the case to the lower body was an abrogation of responsibility that would see it ultimately disappear.</p><p>&quot;Remanding is a functional dismissal,&quot; she said, later adding the impeachment complaint was &quot;being dismantled brick by brick.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-in-limbo-after-senate-returns-case-to-house-expert-0727">Sara Duterte impeachment trial ‘in limbo’ after Senate returns case to House: expert</a></div><p>Escudero, however, insisted there was no such motive behind the body&#x27;s decision.</p><p>&quot;The intention is to give the prosecutors an opportunity to answer certain questions in a manner that does not waste the time of the court,&quot; he said.</p><p>Following the vote, Escudero issued a summons for the vice president, who will have 10 days from its receipt to answer the impeachment charges.</p><div><span style="background-color:transparent"><strong>—with Agence France-Presse</strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E9Z5boURBIw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>House prosecutors on Wednesday said that the Senate trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed despite the upper chamber's move to return the complaint to them to clarify legal questions.</p>

House prosecutors on Wednesday said that the Senate trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed despite the upper chamber's move to return the complaint to them to clarify legal questions.