Senate archives articles of impeachment vs. Sara Duterte

GMA Network

14 hours ago

"Let this chamber be remembered not for the passions we inflamed, but the principles we upheld,' Escudero said.
The Senate on Monday voted to transfer to the archives the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, following the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) blocking the impeachment trial of Duterte.
In the explanation of his "yes" vote, Senate President Francis Escudero said that he would 'never bow to a mob [and] never cower to the shrillest of voices.'
'Let history, Mr. President, record that in this moment, we chose the Constitution, we chose the rule of law by defending the integrity of the Supreme Court and maintaining the system of checks and balances under our republican system of government," Escudero said.
"Let this chamber be remembered not for the passions we inflamed, but the principles we upheld,' he added.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Vicente Sotto III and other members of the minority argued that the Senate should wait for the decision of the Supreme Court on the motion for reconsideration that the Office of the Solicitor General filed on behalf of the House of Representatives
To recall, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Duterte, in return, had entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.'
Recently, the Supreme Court declared the articles of impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional, stressing that it is barred by the one-year rule under the Constitution and that it violates her right to due process.
The high court said the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings because the articles of impeachment were void.
However, the SC said it is not absolving Duterte from any of the charges against her and that any subsequent impeachment complaint may be filed starting February 6, 2026.
The House then filed a motion for reconsideration, seeking to reverse the SC decision. The lower chamber argued it should be allowed to perform its exclusive duty to prosecute an impeachable official, and the Senate's to try the case.
Before voting on the motion of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, as amended by Senate Majority Leader Sen. Joel Villanueva, the Senate also voted to dismiss the motion of Senate Minority Leader Sen. Vicente Sotto III "to table" the Marcoleta motion.
'With five affirmative votes, 19 negative votes, the motion to table the motion of Senator [Sotto] is lost,' Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said.
The Senate minority leader voted in favor of his motion, saying he has voted numerous times with the minority.
'I know that it will be a vote in the minority, but I have always voted in the minority on many issues in the Senate since 1992 up to the present. I always prayed I was wrong. Unfortunately, I was always right,' Sotto said.
'May God have mercy on your decision,' he added.
The SC previously ruled unanimously that the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte are barred by the one-year rule under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution.
The SC also ruled that the articles violate the right to due process. It said that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings and that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction to constitute itself into an impeachment court. –NB, GMA Integrated News