Jonathan Frederic De Santos

FILE Foreign Affairs Chief Alan Peter Cayetano. Malacañang Photo

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<p>MANILA — The Senate, as an impeachment court, can rule on questions of jurisdiction and dismiss the case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said, adding however that it shouldn&#x27;t &quot;unless it&#x27;s a question of grave violation of the Constitution.&quot;</p><p>Duterte — accused of alleged misuse of confidential funds, among other allegations — and her allies, including Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, have raised <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/23/sara-duterte-pleads-impeachment-case-unconstitutional-1725">questions on the constitutionality of the impeachment proceedings</a>.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/9/bato-to-ask-new-senate-if-it-has-jurisdiction-over-impeachment-case-1542"><strong>Bato to ask &#x27;new&#x27; Senate if it has jurisdiction over impeachment case<br/></strong></a></div><p>Aside from arguing the impeachment complaint endorsed by the House violated a limit on the number of proceedings initiated in the same year, Dela Rosa has also indicated he will raise the question of jurisdiction when the Senate convenes later this month.  </p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a fact that you can dismiss it, you can hear it. And when you hear it, you can acquit or you can convict,&quot; Cayetano said. </p><p>&quot;Why can you dismiss? Because always, always, ang unang titignan ng korte, yung jurisdiction (the court looks at jurisdiction).&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/27/senate-court-cannot-just-dismiss-impeach-raps-constitution-framer-1229"><strong>&#x27;Where did that come from?&#x27;: Senate court cannot just &#x27;dismiss&#x27; impeach raps — Constitution framer<br/></strong></a></div><p>He said courts and agencies like the Office of the Ombudsman dismiss complaints and cases when they do not have jurisdiction and the Senate can debate the same question on the impeachment complaint.</p><p>&quot;Always part of the trial is to determine kung may (if there is) jurisdiction,&quot; he said.</p><p>Legal experts — including a framer of the 1987 Constitution — and supporters of impeachment said the impeachment court can convict or acquit but cannot just dismiss an impeachment case.</p><p>Dela Rosa said on Wednesday he wants senators to vote on whether the Senate has jurisdiction over the impeachment case, which was initiated in the 19th Congress, when the upper chamber had a different composition.</p><div><strong>REMAND OF ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT<br/></strong></div><p>The Senate Impeachment Court remanded the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the House of Representatives in June. </p><p>It said the House needed to certify that the case complied with the Constitution and that the House of the 20th Congress is willing to proceed with prosecution.</p><p>Senate President Chiz Escudero, presiding officer of the impeachment court, has clarified that the court has <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">acquired jurisdiction of the case and did not lose it</a> when the Articles of Impeachment were remanded.</p><p>&quot;Between dismissing it that day, June 10, and returning it muna, na wala naman delay at wala naman damage, doon ako sa return (returning it for now, when there was no delay or damage, I voted for return),&quot; Cayetano said of his vote that night.<strong> — from a report by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</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/ve-9WBHu5Ts?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Senate, as an impeachment court, can rule on questions of jurisdiction and dismiss the case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said, adding however that it shouldn't "unless it's a question of grave violation of the Constitution."</p>

The Senate, as an impeachment court, can rule on questions of jurisdiction and dismiss the case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said, adding however that it shouldn't "unless it's a question of grave violation of the Constitution."

Alan Peter Cayetano: Senate can dismiss, vote on jurisdiction over impeachment case

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Alan Peter Cayetano: Senate can dismiss, vote on jurisdiction over impeachment case

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 10, 2025 04:21 PM PHT

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