Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Speaks on Articles of Impeachment vs. VP Sara Duterte
TITO SOTTO – The Senate President confirmed that the chamber is ready to reclaim the impeachment articles against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte in case the Supreme Court will reverse its ruling.
Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte were previously transmitted by the House of Representatives to the Senate. However, it was archived after the Supreme Court declared the documents as “unconstitutional”.
The high court ruled the Articles of Impeachment as allegedly violating the one-year rule with regards to impeachment cases. The archiving of the impeachment articles came with a 19-4-1 voting result in the Senate:
YES
- Alan Peter Cayetano
- Pia Cayetano
- Ronald Dela Rosa
- JV Ejercito
- Francis Escudero
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Sherwin Gatchalian
- Bong Go
- Lito Lapid
- Loren Legarda
- Rodante Marcoleta
- Imee Marcos
- Robinhood Padilla
- Erwin Tulfo
- Raffy Tulfo
- Joel Villanueva
- Camille Villar
- Mark Villar
- Juan Miguel Zubiri
NO
- Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV
- Risa Hontiveros
- Francis Pangilinan
- Vicente “Tito” Sotto III
ABSTAIN
- Panfilo “Ping” Lacson
Then, the Senate was still under the lead of former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero. Then-Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto and Sen. Ping Lacson who was also part of the minority bloc claimed that they are ready to revive the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte if the SC will change its ruling.
The archiving of the impeachment articles against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte gained different reactions from the Filipino people. Currently, following the Office of the Ombudsman being urged to revisit the complaints filed over the confidential funds of Duterte, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto was also asked about the possibility of the impeachment articles against the Vice President being revived.
Based on a report on GMA News, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto confirmed that his “personal” answer to the question is “yes”. According to him, they will move to reclaim the impeachment articles against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte from the Senate archives if the Supreme Court will change its ruling.
“Personally, yes, the answer is in the affirmative. The Senate itself, yes. If the SC says they are reversing their decision, then we will move to reclaim the Articles of Impeachment from the archives,” Sotto said.
Based on the report, three (3) motions for reconsideration were filed before the Supreme Court over its ruling on the Articles of Impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The court has yet to issue its verdict on the said MRs.
Previously, following the announcement of his appointment to be the country’s chief graft-buster, then-Incoming Ombudsman Boying Remulla revealed that he will reopen and study the complaints filed against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.