Rowegie Abanto

Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City on December 11, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Office of The Vice President in Mandaluyong City on December 11, 2024, after skipping on the same day a National Bureau of Investigation probe on her remarks of having  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assassinated should she be killed. Duterte stood firm that she would not present herself before the NBI saying that its inquiry was “unfair.” Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vice president-Sara Duterte-Presscon

RG Cruz

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/175446414110720211211-vpsd-presscon-MT-14 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City on December 11, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(4th UPDATE)</strong> — The Senate voted by an overwhelming majority to archive the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, adhering to the immediately executory decision of the Supreme Court that blocked her trial.</p><p>Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano earlier explained that sending the impeachment complaint to the archives means that it is considered dead but could be revived should the Supreme Court reverse its ruling. </p><p>Sen. Rodante Marcoleta initially moved to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte, which he later agreed to change to archiving the case.  </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/6/filipinos-loss-if-senate-votes-to-dismiss-vp-sara-impeachment-house-spox-1305"><strong>Filipinos&#x27; &#x27;loss&#x27; if Senate votes to dismiss VP Sara impeachment: House spox</strong></a></div><p>Michael Poa, the spokesperson of Duterte&#x27;s defense team, acknowledged the Senate&#x27;s decision to archive the articles of impeachment.</p><p>&quot;The Defense Team acknowledges the Senate’s decision to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling and archive the Articles of Impeachment,&quot; he said. &quot;Our focus now remains on submitting our Comment, in compliance with the High Court’s Order.&quot;</p><p>The chamber voted 19-5 earlier in the session to reject Senate Minority Leader Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III&#x27;s bid to table Marcoleta&#x27;s motion regarding the Supreme Court ruling that blocked the impeachment trial of Duterte.</p><p>With Sotto&#x27;s motion lost, the Senate proceeded to vote on Marcoleta&#x27;s motion, which had initially been to dismiss the impeachment case. </p><p>He later agreed to change the motion to archive the case instead.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HOW THE SENATORS VOTED:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>YES</strong></div><ol><li>Alan Peter Cayetano</li><li>Pia Cayetano</li><li>Ronald Dela Rosa</li><li>JV Ejercito</li><li>Francis Escudero</li><li>Jinggoy Estrada</li><li>Sherwin Gatchalian</li><li>Bong Go</li><li>Lito Lapid</li><li>Loren Legarda</li><li>Rodante Marcoleta</li><li>Imee Marcos</li><li>Robinhood Padilla</li><li>Erwin Tulfo</li><li>Raffy Tulfo</li><li>Joel Villanueva</li><li>Camille Villar</li><li>Mark Villar</li><li>Juan Miguel Zubiri</li></ol><div><strong>NO</strong></div><ol><li>Paolo Benigno &quot;Bam&quot; Aquino IV</li><li>Risa Hontiveros</li><li>Francis Pangilinan</li><li>Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III</li></ol><div><strong>ABSTAIN</strong></div><p>• Panfilo Lacson</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;LAW OVER LAWLESSNESS&#x27;</strong></div><p>In speeches before their votes, senators who voted for the motion framed the archiving of the case as being for rule of law and out of respect for the Supreme Court.</p><p>Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who referenced his father&#x27;s impeachment trial in late 2000, called it a vote for &quot;law over lawlessness&quot; and for &quot;country over partisanship.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green" 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"><strong>19 to 20 senators may vote to &#x27;abide by&#x27; SC ruling on VP Sara impeachment: Jinggoy<br/></strong></a></div><p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who voted in June against sending the Articles of Impeachment back to the House of Representatives, voted in favor of Marcoleta&#x27;s motion, saying the Supreme Court ruling was clear and that he would not go against it.</p><p>Sen. Loren Legarda of the Senate minority bloc also voted in favor of the motion, saying the Senate cannot pretend that the SC decision is not yet executory despite the motion for recognition by the House.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ADDRESS TO CRITICS</strong></div><p>Senate President Francis Escudero used the platform to turn the tables on critics of the Senate and the Supreme Court, calling out their double standards, while reserving the harshest criticism for the House of Representatives led by Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><p>&quot;Cherry-picking court rulings destroys the judiciary&#x27;s purpose. Disobeying the High Court’s decision is a violation of the law because under our Constitution, decisions of the Supreme Court form part of the law of the land,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;To the House of Representatives, I say, do not allow yourselves to be used for the blind hatred and ambition of a few, who did things haphazardly, gravely abused their discretion, and violated due process rights under the Constitution as found by the High Court itself. In spite of all these you expect everyone to roll over in obedience,&quot; he added.</p><p>&quot;When we did not, you moved hell and high water to destroy personalities, malign reputations, and tarnish institutions. To these people I say this, the Senate is not your playground to run after your political enemies. We are not an accomplice in any grand scheme. While others may be willing to play your game, I am not. I will never bow to a mob. I will never cower to the shrillest of voices.&quot;</p><p>Meanwhile, Senator Bong Go expressed his belief that the Dutertes will not evade accountability, regardless of the decision.</p><p>&quot;Sa pagkakilala ko sa mga Duterte, hindi sila tumatakbo sa kanilang responsibilidad. Haharapin at haharapin nila ang anumang hamon ng panahon, basta ginagawa lamang ito sa tamang paraan,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Marami namang mekanismo upang mapanagot ang kahit sinumang opisyal ng gobyerno na may pananagutan, kung meron mang pananagutan. Ang mahalaga ay nagagawa ito sa tama at legal na paraan.&quot;</p><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>HONTIVEROS: SENATE VOTING TO ABANDON MANDATE</strong></div><p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros voted against the motion, saying the Senate was &quot;voting to abandon&quot; its mandate to try impeachment cases.</p><p>She added the Supreme Court decision decreases the people&#x27;s &quot;power to hold the highest rulers accountable&quot; and &quot;to question the powers that be.&quot;</p><p>She said that the framers of the 1987 Constitution made impeachment easier because &quot;it should not be taxing to hold power to account.&quot;</p><p>Hontiveros said in Filipino that while the Senate can vote to archive the case against Duterte, &quot;it will be harder to dismiss or archive the people&#x27;s call for accountability.&quot;</p><p>Sen. Francis &quot;Kiko&quot; Pangilinan said none of the few who voted against Marcoleta&#x27;s motion had suggested disrespecting or defying the Supreme Court.</p><p>He said they were only raising the point that the decision is still subject to a motion for reconsideration by the House.</p><p>Sotto meanwhile raised that the Senate as a legislative body cannot archive the case, which is before the Senate as an impeachment court.</p><p>&quot;How can the Senate archive something that is not before it?&quot; he said</p><p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson abstained from voting, saying he &quot;would rather wait, not preempt the final ruling of the Supreme Court&quot; on the impeachment case.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>THE SUPREME COURT&#x27;S RULING ON DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT</strong></div><p>The Philippines&#x27; top court in late July blocked the Senate impeachment trial of Duterte, saying it violated a constitutional provision against multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year.</p><p>The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in early February, charging the vice president with graft, corruption and an alleged assassination plot against one-time ally and former running mate President Ferdinand Marcos.</p><p>But her defense team filed a petition arguing that a trio of earlier complaints logged against her in the House had constituted impeachment proceedings. </p><p>The court agreed. It said a fresh impeachment attempt could be introduced, but not before February 6, 2026. <strong>— with Jonathan de Santos, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><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/DDDV5QoTa9g?&amp;t=1s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Marcoleta initially moved to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte, which he later agreed to change to archive. </p>

Marcoleta initially moved to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte, which he later agreed to change to archive.

Senate archives Sara Duterte impeachment case

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Senate archives Sara Duterte impeachment case

Rowegie Abanto,

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 06, 2025 07:06 PM PHT

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Updated August 08, 2025 05:51 PM PHT

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