This is what the new senators said about the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte.
Midterm elections senators-elect will join the 20th Congress, and this is what they said about the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte.
Senator Chiz Escudero is leaving matters regarding the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte to the presiding officer of the next Congress. This is after the senators of the 19th Congress, with no abstentions, voted to return the articles of the impeachment trial to the House of Representatives.
The Senate has voted to return to the House of Representatives the impeachment complaint, with an 18-5 result.
As reported, Duterte is accused of six allegations:
- Conspiracy to Assassinate President Marcos, First Lady, and Speaker Romualdez
- Malversation of P612.5 Million in Confidential Funds
- Bribery and Corruption in DepEd
- Unexplained Wealth and Failure to Disclose Assets
- Involvement in Extrajudicial Killings (Davao Death Squad)
- Destabilization, Insurrection, and Public Disorder
The five senators who voted against this were Koko Pimentel, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Sherwin Gatchalian. Writ of Summons was issued to the vice president and previously, it has been confirmed by her legal team that she will appear before the impeachment court on Monday. Her legal team is composed of 16 lawyers to defend her.
With the impeachment trial now left to the 20th Congress, some senators elected during the midterm elections spoke up about it. According to CT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, the impeachment trial of Duterte should continue in the 20th Congress. Whether the trial finds her guilty or not, she must face the consequences.
Incoming senators will assume office at 12 noon on June 30.
Senator-elect Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan wants the impeachment trial in the 20th Congress as well. He said, “Continuing body ang Senate, therefore the 20th Congress has jurisdiction… It will carry over to the 20th Congress at ang tungkulin natin is to try and decide the case.”
Senator-elect Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, a former Senate president, meanwhile, stressed that the impeachment court has no powers in returning the case to the lower chamber. He also added that motions must come from the defense or prosecution panel, and not from the senator-judges themselves.
“In other words, hindi dapat pinayagan yung ganun mga motion motion,” he said, referring to the motions of senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Alan Peter Cayetano.
Sotto also said that he is ready for the impeachment. He is always ready citing that he was the majority leader, chairman of the Committee on Rules, during the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona
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