Sen. Risa Hontiveros Speaks on Senate’s Decision to Remand Duterte’s Impeachment
RISA HONTIVEROS – The opposition Senator asserted the function of the Senate as an impeachment court after it remanded the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The decision of the Senate impeachment court to return the articles of impeachment against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives elicited different reactions. The verdict was made after the 18-5 voting of the senators on the motion of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
All 23 senators were present during the voting for Cayetano’s motion. Here are those who voted in support of returning the articles of impeachment against Duterte to the House and those who opposed it:
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
Sen. Cayetano, in his motion, cited that the impeachment case is not dismissed nor terminated on its return to the House until the following are complied with:
- 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.
Recently, House Speaker Martin Romualdez described the decision of the Senate to return Duterte’s impeachment as “deeply concerning”. He stressed that the House followed all the rules and abide by the Constitution in the matter.
Atty. Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, stressed that it is not the duty of the Senate to question the constitutionality of the impeachment case but to try the accused. Based on a report on Inquirer, Sen. Risa Hontiveros also stressed that there is no remand in the Constitution.
“Wala pong remand o return sa Konstitusyon. Ang obligation natin – try and decide,” she expressed.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros worked with Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel in the pursuit to start the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Sen. Koko Pimentel also stressed that there is no concept of “return to sender” in the legal process.
However, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero stands firm in the Senate impeachment court’s decision saying those who disagree with it may question it before the impeachment court or the Supreme Court.