Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Articles of Impeachment against her
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President made a claim that there were congressmen who allegedly admitted to being promised with something to sign her impeachment.
Following the remand of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Duterte, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero said the Duterte’s impeachment trial now depends to the 20th Congress. The articles of impeachment against the Vice President was not presented before the Senate impeachment court after a motion to remand it to the House of Representatives was approved.
Eighteen (18) senator judges voted in favor of returning the articles of impeachment against Vice Pres. Duterte to the House with the following requirements set for the prosecution panel of the lower chamber:
- The House of Representatives certified to the non-violation of Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that “No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within one year; include the circumstances on the filing of the first three impeachment complaints”; and
- The House of Representatives of the 20th Congress communicated to the Senate that it was willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.
While 18 senators agreed to the remand of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the House, five (5) senator judges bravely opposed to it. According to Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, there is no remand in the Constitution.
YES
- 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
NO
- Koko Pimentel
- Risa Hontiveros
- Sherwin Gatchalian
- Grace Poe
- Nancy Binay
Amid the heated issue over the return of the articles of impeachment against her to the House, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte made a claim that the congressmen were allegedly given money in exchange of their signature for her ouster. Based on a report on PhilStar, the Vice President claimed that some congressmen allegedly signed the Articles of Impeachment first before reading the document.
“We all know that, first, they (congressmen) did not read the Articles of Impeachment. Second, many of them received a budget or money in exchange for their signature,” the Vice President said in a press conference in Davao City.
The Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte gathered the signatures of at least 215 congressmen in the House. Based on the report, the Vice President claimed that there were allegedly congressmen who already made an admission that they were promised something in exchange of their signatures to her impeachment.
“In fact, many already admitted that they were promised something in exchange for their signature… so if we are to talk about accountability by business groups, they should also question how the Articles of Impeachment was passed,” Duterte expressed.
Amid the impeachment trial issue, the House previously confirmed the possibility of seeking the inhibition of some senator judges who may already have a stand even prior to the trial. Many people are calling for Duterte allies in the Senate to inhibit from the case.
However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte called for trust to the senator judges instead saying that the inhibition of senator judges would mean many of them have to inhibit from the case.