Geline Salac

Senate divided on VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial

The Senate of the Philippines opens its First Regular Session of the 20th Congress on July 28, 2025.  Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES- 20th CONGRESS

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>The Senate is now divided on what to do with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte following a Supreme Court ruling that said the impeachment complaint is unconstitutional.  </p><p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson said some senators want the impeachment complaint dismissed outright and to no longer convene the impeachment court while others said there should be a trial despite the SC ruling.</p><p>“Hati ang caucus,” he said in a DZMM interview. </p><p>Lacson said the Senate “does not have a choice” since the Supreme Court had already ruled on the matter. In its decision, the SC ruled the impeachment complaint is unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule that prohibits initiating more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within a year.</p><p>“We need to respect and obey the rules of the Supreme Court. Otherwise, the biggest casualty here is the rule of law,” he said.</p><p>In the interview, Lacson said he told fellow senators not to act for now until the House of Representatives submits its motion for reconsideration on the decision, and the SC rules on the same.</p><p>“We should not act as a form of compliance because we have no jurisdiction…That is my position,” he said, adding the Senate could still proceed to trial if in case the Supreme Court reverses its decision.</p><p>Lacson said the Constitution is silent on the need for due process for impeachment cases since impeachment is considered &quot;sui generis&quot; and should be subject to the rules of the House of Representatives and the Senate.</p><p>He noted the Constitution is clear that impeachment is initiated once it receives one-third of the votes in the House of Representatives even without a hearing. “Wala ng nangyayaring pagdinig sa committee on justice,” he noted.</p><p>Lacson said he is of the opinion that the one-year bar rule starts once the Speaker refers the articles of impeachment to the committee on justice.</p><p>He also noted there were too many delays in both the House of Representatives and Senate from submitting the complaint and starting the trial.</p><p>“Baka may mahiwagang nangyayari na di natin alam,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>WILL SC REVERSE RULING? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she hoped the Supreme Court would reverse its unanimous ruling.</p><p>“Parang common wisdom lalo na ng mga abogado na malabo na daw maiba. Pero malay natin. Dahil ang Korte Suprema naman ay kung sa tingin niya, kung sa desisyon niya, karapatan din niya i-reverse ang sarili niya,” she said. </p><p>Hontiveros also hoped that the House of Representatives could appeal the ruling before the Senate tackles it on August 6. </p><p>She disagreed that the SC ruling “vindicated” the Senate leadership, following months of delay in starting the trial.</p><p>&quot;I would not say na vindicated ang Senate leadership dito sa ruling ng Korte Suprema dahil nga separate and co-equal branches kami. So, meron po kaming, in a way, separate and co-equal obligations din na kumilos ayon sa aming kanya-kanyang mga obligasyon,” she said. </p><p>“I still believe na kung sinunod namin yung klarong sa Constitution na commence trial forthwith noong Pebrero, ay mas nakausad na kami sa ngayon at mas natutupad na namin ang aming obligasyon sa ating mga kababayan na pati sila, hindi lang kaming mga senator judges…ay kahit pa paano nagsisimula ng malaman ano ba yung mga ebidensya at witnesses sa mga articles of impeachment by now,&quot; she added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DRAFT RESOLUTION </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Hontiveros revealed that some senators, including herself and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, were working on a resolution to express the sense of the Senate. Hontiveros, Pangilinan and Senator Bam Aquino previously released a joint statement to disagree with the Court.</p><p>&quot;I believe, makakasama po yun sa maraming argumento, opinion, at eventually kung ipipilit talaga boto pagdating sa August 6,” Hontiveros said. </p><p>&quot;Nagsa-cite po siya ng mga references sa ilang mga dating justices na nagbibigay ng payo, kung paano ilang mga gabay, kung paano pwedeng mag-move forward.” </p><p>Senate President Francis Escudero has not seen the supposed resolution.</p><p>&quot;Whatever it is, we’ll just await its filing, if at all, for the body’s consideration. But with or without any such resolution, we already agreed in caucus to fix a date certain (Aug 6) to debate and act on this issue of impeachment in light of the recent SC decision,&quot; he said. </p><p>— With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>The Senate is now divided on what to do with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte following a Supreme Court ruling that said the impeachment complaint is unconstitutional.</p>

The Senate is now divided on what to do with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte following a Supreme Court ruling that said the impeachment complaint is unconstitutional.