Cheyenne Suarez

Senate court cannot just 'dismiss' impeach raps — Constitution framer

Article (news)

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175099680766320250611-senate-vp=sara-impeachment-SPRIB1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Members of the Senate of the Philippines, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, on June 10, 2025 convene as an impeachment court to try the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of the Senate of the Philippines, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, on June 10, 2025 convene as an impeachment court to try the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. <em>Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Senate has no power to &quot;dismiss&quot; an impeachment case, only to try it and to convict or acquit, a framer of the 1987 Constitution stressed Friday.</p><p>Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero this week said that Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s case could be dismissed through a majority vote on a motion to do so.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/escudero-impeachment-court-did-not-lose-jurisdiction-on-impeachment-case-vs-vp-1555">Escudero: Impeachment court retains jurisdiction of Duterte impeachment case despite remand order</a></div><p>&quot;It [impeachment] was already filed with them on February 5. After four or five months they are now saying that they can dismiss it. Where did that come from? Where is that power to dismiss it? Ang kanilang power lang is to conduct the trial,&quot; lawyer Christian Monsod told DZMM Teleradyo.</p><p>Monsod, who was part of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution, said &quot;there’s nothing here that gives them such power as dismissal of the impeachment charges.&quot;  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/9/chiz-no-resolution-filed-yet-dismissing-impeachment-case-of-sara-duterte-1059">Chiz: No resolution filed yet dismissing impeachment case of Sara Duterte</a></div><div><br/></div><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/2zbtCr3Kkdo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Escudero on Wednesday said that Duterte&#x27;s allies at the Senate may move dismiss the impeachment case, and the senator-judges may vote on it by a &quot;simple majority.&quot;</p><div><strong>CAN HOUSE REFUSE TO PROSECUTE? </strong></div><p>Monsod also warned of the scenario that the House of Representatives of the 20th Congress, set to begin next month, will refuse to conduct the impeachment trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/5/up-law-faculty-calls-on-senate-to-begin-sara-duterte-trial-1227">UP Law faculty urgently calls on Senate to begin Sara Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><p>&quot;If the 20th Congress refuses to continue with the trial, what was the whole point of Article 11? Ganun pala,&quot; he said, referring to the portion on the Accountability of Public Officers. </p><p>&quot;You cannot go around the constitutional provision and come up with the conclusion na pwedeng walang trial (that you can dispense with the trial). Hindi po,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/no-more-bloodbath-vp-sara-says-she-obeyed-lawyers-in-seeking-impeachment-dismissal-1625">No more bloodbath? VP Sara says she obeyed lawyers in seeking impeachment dismissal</a></div><p>Duterte&#x27;s lawyers on Monday submitted an Answer Ad Cautelam — Latin for &quot;with caution&quot; — saying the impeachment case against her should be dismissed for &quot;violating the one-year bar rule&quot; of the 1987 Constitution.</p><p>The House this month adopted a resolution saying the proceedings followed the Constitution.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><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/15YPglfgPgE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/LQk8LOzY_KI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"Where is that power to dismiss it? Ang kanilang power lang is to conduct the trial," says constitutionalist Christian Monsod.</p>

"Where is that power to dismiss it? Ang kanilang power lang is to conduct the trial," says constitutionalist Christian Monsod.

'Where did that come from?': Senate court cannot just 'dismiss' impeach raps — Constitution framer

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'Where did that come from?': Senate court cannot just 'dismiss' impeach raps — Constitution framer

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 27, 2025 12:29 PM PHT

Read More:

VP Sara Duterte

Senate

impeachment

VP Sara impeachment

Chiz Escudero

politics

impeach

Christian Monsod

law

legal issues

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