Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Princess

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1754455113058cropped-Screen Shot 2025-08-06 at 12.25.07 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">House Spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante wears a black shirt with the word “forthwith” in a press conference today. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — House spokesperson Princess Abante on Wednesday wore a black shirt with the word &quot;Forthwith,&quot; hours before the Senate was expected to vote on the fate of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in light of a Supreme Court ruling that favored its dismissal.</p><p>&quot;Matagal na dapat ito eh, kaso ngayon ko lang nasuot... Para sa taumbayan, na meron pa rin tayong inaabangan na forthwith,&quot; Abante said.</p><p>(I have had this for a while but only got to wear it now. This is for the people, to show them we are still waiting for a &#x27;forthwith&#x27;)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/5/what-to-expect-at-aug-6-senate-impeachment-debates-1730">What to expect at Aug 6 Senate impeachment debates</a></div><p>The Senate and the House of Representatives previously argued about the meaning of the word &quot;forthwith&quot; in the provision of the 1987 Constitution on impeachment.</p><p>It states that &quot;[i]n case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/12/tolentino-supreme-court-may-need-to-rule-on-what-forthwith-means-in-impeachment-cases-0011">Tolentino: Supreme Court may need to rule on what &#x27;forthwith&#x27; means in impeachment cases</a></div><p>Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero, who has been criticized for a seeming delay in proceeding to trial said forthwith did not mean immediately.</p><p>Abante said the House is still calling on the Senate to proceed to trial.</p><p>&quot;Ang mandato ng Saligang Batas, try and decide forthwith, hindi dismiss forthwith,&quot; Abante said.</p><p>(The Constitution directs them to try and decide forthwith, not dismiss it forthwith)</p><p>The Supreme Court in late July declared that the impeachment case against Duterte was invalid from the beginning because it violated the constitutional prohibition that bans the filing of multiple complaints in a year.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/5/senators-urged-to-wait-for-sc-to-resolve-motion-on-vp-duterte-impeach-ruling-1140">&#x27;Bakit tayo nagmamadali?&#x27; Senators urged to wait for SC to resolve motion on VP Duterte impeach ruling</a></div><p>Up to 20 senators were leaning to vote to &quot;abide by&quot; the SC ruling, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said earlier this week.</p><p>The House of Representatives this week filed a motion for reconsideration to reverse the ruling.</p><p>It pointed out supposed “factual errors” in the Supreme Court’s decision, and argued “the fourth impeachment complaint could not have been barred by the archival, termination, or dismissal of the first three impeachment complaints, because while the latter were undergoing the process of inclusion and referral the fourth impeachment complaint was completed”.</p><p>It also denied that Duterte’s right to due process was violated since she would be able to confront the accusations “during the trial itself”.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NOT YET FINAL&#x27;</strong></div><p>Abante said that the Supreme Court decision is not yet final and that she hopes the Senate will wait for the Supreme Court to dispose of the motion for reconsideration that the House filed on the impeachment decision.<strong></strong><br/></p><p>Abante said if the Senate dismisses the articles of impeachment against Duterte, the Filipino people would be the ones to &quot;lose.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Matatapos ‘yung impeachment proceedings, at ang matatalo naman dito hindi ang House of Representatives, kundi ‘yung taumbayan... na nag-aabang doon sa trial for accountability and transparency,&quot; she said.</p><p>(The impeachment procedings will be terminated and the loser would not be the House of Represenatives but the people... who are waiting for the trial for accountability and transparency) </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/1/19-to-20-senators-may-vote-to-affirm-sc-ruling-on-vp-sara-impeachment-jinggoy-0939">19 to 20 senators may vote to &#x27;abide by&#x27; SC ruling on VP Sara impeachment: Jinggoy</a></div><p>Meanwhile, lawyer Antonio Audie Bucoy, spokesperson of the House proescution panel, said it would be a &quot;waste of time&quot; for the Senate to decide to act on the &quot;immediately executory&quot; but not yet final ruling of the Supreme Court.</p><p>He explained it &quot;cannot be final&quot; until the high court rules on the House&#x27;s motion for reconsideration, which it might still grant.</p><p>Bucoy and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio also questioned the Senate’s “rush” to act on the Supreme Court ruling even before it becomes final.</p><p>Tinio said the Senate will lose nothing by waiting for the decision on the House&#x27;s motion for reconsideration.</p><p>&quot;Mas ang tanong dito, bakit ba nagmamadali sila? Bakit atat na atat silang idismiss? Sino ba ang gusto nilang paligayahin dito?&quot;</p><p>(The bigger question is why are they in a rush? Why are they so intent on dismissing this? Who do they want to please?)</p><p>Bucoy added the seeming rush is in stark contrast to how the Senate handled the articles of impeachment.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;UNACCEPTABLE&#x27;</strong></div><p>Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co said a Senate dismissal of the Articles of Impeachment would be “unacceptable” and a “grave injustice” since senators know a motion for reconsideration has already been filed.</p><p>Tinio said a Supreme Court rejection of the House motion will only trigger greater public clamor for accountability but added there are other avenues like budget hearings to dig deeper into the issues that Duterte is facing.</p><p>“Hindi mamamatay ang momentum. Lalu pa ngang lalakas… Kung hindi haharapin at masasagot… ang issue ng confidential funds,&quot; he said.</p><p>(The momentum will not die down... it will only get stronger if the issue of confidential funds remains unanswered)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABd0NpUa_Qv_sxKw"></script>

<p>House spokesperson Princess Abante on Wednesday wore a black shirt with the word "Forthwith," hours before the Senate was expected to vote on the fate of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in light of a Supreme Court ruling that favored its dismissal.</p>

House spokesperson Princess Abante on Wednesday wore a black shirt with the word "Forthwith," hours before the Senate was expected to vote on the fate of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in light of a Supreme Court ruling that favored its dismissal.

Filipinos' 'loss' if Senate votes to dismiss VP Sara impeachment: House spox

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

Filipinos' 'loss' if Senate votes to dismiss VP Sara impeachment: House spox

Vivienne Gulla,

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 06, 2025 01:05 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 06, 2025 08:51 PM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

Senate

impeachment

VP Sara

Sara Duterte

politics

Princes Abante

ANC

ANC promo

ABSNews

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.