Sen. Risa Hontiveros Asserts Duterte’s Impeachment Trial Already within Senate Impeachment Court’s Jurisdiction
RISA HONTIVEROS – The Senator expressed her plan to block the motion of Sen. Bato dela Rosa over the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Senate impeachment court has yet to start with the trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Recently, several senator judges and incoming senators have spoken their side on the issue that has divided the Filipino people.
Sen. JV Ejercito believes that Duterte’s impeachment trial will really affect the country but the Senate should push through with it. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian cited “transparency” as to why the trial needs to begin.
Gatchalian is one of the five (5) senators who opposed the remand of Duterte’s impeachment to the House of Representatives. The senator judges got question about the constitutionality of the impeachment of the Vice President and want a reconfirmation from the 20th Congress.
Here are the senator judges who voted in favor of the return of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives:
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
Former Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel and Sen. Risa Hontiveros shared the same claim that the Constitution does not state a concept of return. Several incoming senators and some former senators also shared the same belief.
However, according to Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, the Senate impeachment court can even dismiss Duterte’s impeachment case by just a simple majority vote even without a trial. Incoming Sen. Ping Lacson stressed that the prosecution has even yet to present the evidence.
Based on a report on Inquirer, Sen. Risa Hontiveros recently confirmed her plan to bloc the motion of Sen. Bato dela Rosa asking senators of the 20th Congress if they are willing to push through with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros stressed that the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is already within the jurisdiction of the Senate impeachment court. She stressed that she does not know of any court that still asks if they have the jurisdiction when they already have it.
“It’s already in our hands. Why else would we surrender it? That equates to us surrendering our duty,” the Senator said.
Based on the report, Sen. Risa Hontiveros also stressed the duty of the Senate to hold a trial. She stressed that it is not conditional nor based on the willingness of the senator judges.
“It’s not conditional as to whether we’re willing or in the mood. It’s our duty, the constitution orders us to comply, and we should be willing and able, and since it has already crossed, it’s already our responsibility,” Hontiveros said.
Recently, the results of the latest Social Weather Station or SWS survey revealed that more Filipinos believe that the Senate allegedly delays the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.