Sen. Bato dela Rosa Speaks on Articles of Impeachment vs. VP Sara Duterte
BATO DELA ROSA – The Senator claimed that he is allegedly guided by the Holy Spirit in his view that the Senate has no jurisdiction over Duterte’s impeachment.
The senators recently wore their robes for the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte as they took their oath as the senator-judges of the impeachment court. It came after Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero took his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court in Duterte’s trial.
Following the oath of the senators as judges in the impeachment court, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano filed a motion to return the articles of impeachment against Duterte to the House of Representatives. Senate Pres. Escudero recent explained that the move to return Duterte’s impeachment to the House is to give chance to the prosecutors to answer questions.
However, there are speculations that such move will only delay the much-awaited trial of the second-highest official in the government. The senators voted and with an 18-5 voting result, the upper chamber moved for the return of the articles of impeachment.
Several known Duterte allies including senators Bato dela Rosa, Bong Go, and Robin Padilla voted for the return of the articles of impeachment against the Vice President to the House. Here are the lawmakers who voted in favor of Cayetano’s motion:
- Alan Peter Cayetano
- Pia Cayetano
- Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
- JV Ejercito
- Chiz Escudero
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Bong Go
- Lito Lapid
- Loren Legarda
- Imee Marcos
- Robin Padilla
- Bong Revilla
- Francis Tolentino
- Raffy Tulfo
- Joel Villanueva
- Cynthia Villar
- Mark Villar
- Juan Miguel Zubiri
Only five (5) senators namely Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and senators Risa Hontiveros, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, and Grace Poe voted not in favor of the return of the articles of impeachment.
Based on a post of GMA Integrated News on YouTube, Sen. Bato dela Rosa claimed that with the return of the articles of impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House, the Senate allegedly has no jurisdiction now over the case.
“We returned it. So bakit pa tayo magpapatuloy sa pagbibigay ng subpoena sa respondent kung binalik natin. Siguro kung mabalik na ‘yun sa’tin, saka pa tayo… mag-iisyu ng summons,” dela Rosa said.
Based on the post, Sen. Bato dela Rosa recognized that his statement is from his point of view. He recognized that he is not a lawyer.
“That’s my humble understanding. Again, I am not a lawyer, Mr. President. Nag-iisip lang. I am just guided by the Holy Spirt, Mr. President. To be honest, Holy Spirit is guiding me all the time,” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief-turned-Senator said.
Previously, amid the calls of the Senate President among his fellow lawmakers in the upper chamber not to make a stand on the impeachment issue, Sen. Bato dela Rosa expressed his confidence that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will be acquitted in the impeachment trial.