Latest news with #20thCongress
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Idea that impeachment trial may not proceed 'disturbing,' complainants' lawyer says
'Dapat ipagpatuloy, dapat litisin ng Senado 'yung Vice President and come up with a decision either acquitting or convicting the impeachable official. A no-impeachment trial scenario is a violation of the Constitution,' Ligutan said. A lawyer for some of the parties who filed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte said it was "disturbing" that there was a chance that the Senate, as an impeachment court, would not hear the articles of impeachment against her. Atty. Armando Virgil Ligutan, a counsel for those who filed the third impeachment complaint, said Article 11 of the Constitution only provided for the conviction or acquittal of the impeached official, not dismissal. 'Nakakabahala lang 'yung idea na pupwede hindi ipagpatuloy ng Senate 'yung isang constitutional duty, which is to try the Vice President in an impeachment trial," Ligutan said. (It is disturbing, the idea that it is an option for the Senate to not proceed with its constitutional duty to try the Vice President in an impeachment trial.) "For me, that is unthinkable within the four corners of the 1987 Constitution,' he added. 'Dapat ipagpatuloy, dapat litisin ng Senado 'yung Vice President and come up with a decision either acquitting or convicting the impeachable official. A no-impeachment trial scenario is a violation of the Constitution,' Ligutan added. (The Senate should proceed with the impeachment trial and come up with a decision.) Renato Reyes of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said the impeachment trial was "a constitutional mandate" of the Senate. He said groups would protest in front of the Senate on Tuesday morning to assail the delays of the trial. Impeachment complainants will also hold a press conference at the House of Representatives at 11 a.m. to demand that the trial proceed forthwith. "The impeachment trial is a constitutional mandate and cannot be left to the discretion of the senators. It cannot be up to the 20th Congress in the sense that they will still determine whether or not the trial will push through," Reyes said. "It is their constitutional duty to push through with the trial under the 20th congress. It is our view that this is not something that should even be voted on by the senators of the 20th congress. The constitution is clear that a trial must commence," he added. Former legislator and ex-vice president Leni Robredo spokesman Atty. Barry Gutierrez today called out the Senate's apparent inaction on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. Gutierrez described the inaction as a blatant affront to the Constitution and to the will of the Filipino people. 'The Constitution mandates that after the House passes the Articles of Impeachment, the Senate shall forthwith proceed with the trial,' Gutierrez said. 'Hindi po ito isang suggestion, ito ay constitutional obligation (This is not a suggestion, but a constitutional obligation).' Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday said that it was up for the 20th Congress to decide whether the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte would proceed. Sara Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the articles of impeachment against her. This complaint, a consolidation of the three separate impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President by various groups, accuses her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza and the President's cousin and Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez. 'Now, it could be argued that dismissal is like acquittal. But for me, that would be engaging in legal gymnastics. We are stretching what is otherwise clear in the Constitution," said Fr. Flavie Villanueva, one of the convenors of the People's Impeachment Movement. "The Senate must proceed with a trial and either acquit or convict the impeachable official, who in this case is the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines," he added. PIM's Pastor Leonard Arevalo, the Senior Pastor of the San Bartolome Christian Fellowship, then called on the Senate to rise above political pressure and act in defense of public interest. 'Hindi dapat bumigay ang Senado sa anumang pressure o impluwensiya. Dapat nitong gampanan ang kanyang tungkulin sa ilalim ng ating Saligang Batas at panagutin ang mga nagkasala sa bayan,' Arevalo said. (The Senate should not give in to pressure and influence and fulfill their mandate as stated in our Constitution: hold those who sinned against the country accountable.) –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara impeachment case 'functionally dismissed' if trial not done by June 30 –Tolentino
'If we cannot conclude the trial before June 30, 2025, we must recognize this impeachment case is functionally dismissed by constitutional operation and no action can be taken by the 20th Congress on the matter for lack of constitutional authority,' Tolentino said. The impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte will be considered 'functionally dismissed' if the Senate impeachment court is unable to finish the trial before June 30, 2025, Sen. Francis Tolentino said on Monday. In his manifestation at the resumption of the Senate's plenary session, Tolentino cited foreign legislative principles, insisting that 'unfinished business does not carry over into a new Congress.' 'If we cannot conclude the trial before June 30, 2025, we must recognize this impeachment case is functionally dismissed by constitutional operation and no action can be taken by the 20th Congress on the matter for lack of constitutional authority,' Tolentino said. He also pointed out that the delay in the impeachment proceedings compromised due process and undermined the Senate's role as an impeachment court. The reading of the impeachment raps against Duterte was moved from June 2 to June 11. Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said that this was decided in order for the Congress to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 14. Article XI Section 3(4) of the 1987 Constitution states that: 'In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.' 'Only 12 Senators remain after each election, insufficient to form a quorum. Thus, unlike the US Senate or the Philippine Senate under the 1935 Constitution, we cannot carry unfinished proceedings into the next Congress. Allowing the 20th Congress to take over this trial would be ultra vires or beyond our constitutional power,' Tolentino said. 'Mr. President, kahit anong pilit, hindi maitatawid, lalo na't kung lalabag sa Saligang Batas,' he added. (Mr. President, no matter how hard we try, this couldn't cross to the next Congress, especially if it violates the Constitution.) In reaction to Tolentino's manifestation, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that the 1987 Constitution required that the Senate proceed with the impeachment proceedings already initiated without further delay. 'It is true that the 19th Congress cannot bind the 20th Congress- and all unfinished business will be terminated. But this is only true for any work done by us in the exercise of our legislative functions,' Hontiveros said. Earlier on Monday, Escudero said that senators in the 20th Congress will get the final say on whether or not the impeachment trial of Duterte will push through. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. The Vice President, for her part, said she was looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath." She later clarified that she meant her own blood, even likening the impeachment trial to a crucifixion. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Escudero: Sara Duterte impeachment trial up to 20th Congress
Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said Monday that senators in the 20th Congress will get the final say on whether or not the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will push through. The 20th Congress will open on July 28, on the day of the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. With only six plenary sessions remaining before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 13, Escudero said the next Congress will be the one to handle the trial proper, if pursued, once it convenes a day after SONA or on July 29. He explained that regardless of the decision of the 19th Congress regarding impeachment matters, it cannot bind the subsequent Congress. Meaning, the 20th Congress needs to decide again if it will reconvene as an impeachment court and proceed with the trial 'either by an affirmative vote or by their silence and acquiescence.' 'Pwedeng pagbotohan 'yun ng plenaryo ng 19th Congress pero anuman ang desisyon namin, hindi pwede i-bind 'yung 20th Congress. So pwedeng magkaroon ng ibang pananaw 'yung 20th Congress. Halimbawa, pwedeng sabihin ng 19th Congress, tatawid 'yan pero ang pasya ng 20th Congress, hindi tatawid 'yan at idi-dismiss nila, so depende,' the Senate President said. (The 19th Congress can vote on it, but regardless of our decision, the 20th Congress cannot be bound. So the 20th Congress can have a different decision. For example, the 19th Congress can say that the impeachment trial will proceed, but the 20th Congress can say otherwise, so it depends.) 'Sa dulo, you have to understand in Congress, plenary is supreme. It's not the decision or the voice of one member even if he or she is the Senate President or an officer of the Senate or the House. Desisyon palagi ng plenaryo ang mangingibabaw sa anumang usapin,' he added. (In the end, you have to understand that in Congress, plenary is supreme. It's not the decision or the voice of one member even if he or she is the Senate President or an officer of the Senate or the House. The decision of the plenary will always prevail no matter what.) Five senators in the 20th Congress were endorsed by PDP-Laban, chaired by Sara's father former president Rodrigo Duterte, during the 2025 midterm elections: Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, and Camille Villar. They will join Senator Robin Padilla, who sits as the party's president. Other senators in the next Congress are either independent or are allied with other political parties. Escudero urged incoming senator-judges, regardless of who they are affiliated with, to remain impartial regarding the impeachment. 'Desisyon at pasya nila 'yon hindi para sa akin na husgahan 'yon. Pero nakalagay sa aming rules hangga't maaari ay maging impartial sana ang bawat senator-judge hangga't hindi pa naririnig 'yung kaso mismo. Maging ganun pa man ang pag-inhibit ay voluntary decision sa parte ng sinumang hukom. Hindi ito pinagbobotohan ng mga miyembro ng hukom mismo,' he said. (They have their own decision and it's not for me to judge. But it is stated in our rules that every senator-judge should be impartial as much as possible until the case has been heard. Even so, inhibition is a voluntary decision on the part of any judge. It is not voted upon by the members of the senator-judges themselves.) Asked if the impeachment trial will proceed as scheduled on July 30, Escudero said that it should "in the ordinary course of events," unless the senators decide otherwise. Based on the proposed schedule, the oath-taking of newly elected senator-judges before the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, will take place on July 29 at 9 a.m., followed by a plenary session in the afternoon. The trial proper will then begin on July 30 from 9 a.m. until 2:00 pm. Last week, Escudero announced that the reading of impeachment raps against Duterte would be moved from June 2 to June 11, as the Congress needs to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14. House Speaker Martin Romualdez agree that convening the impeachment court for the trial of the Vice President is up to the Senate 'The Senate President's letter to me is pretty straightforward. Kaya 'yung impeachment complaint ay nasa Senado na. So we leave it to their sound discretion as to how they want to proceed and conduct [the impeachment trial],' Romualdez told reporters. "The Senate President outlined the priority measures that they would like to prioritize first, so we have to respect the decision of the Senate President,' he added. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza and the President's cousin and Speaker Romualdez. The Vice President, for her part, said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath." She clarified over the weekend that she meant her own blood, even likening the impeachment trial to a crucifixion. —with a report from Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
VP Sara back in Netherlands to visit dad Duterte, Imee in tow
Vice President Sara Duterte is now in the Netherlands, ahead of the impeachment trial against her. According to Maki Pulido's report in '24 Oras' on Thursday, Duterte arrived in Amsterdam on Wednesday, accompanied by Senator Imee Marcos, who will be one of the senator-judges at her trial. Her office had earlier announced her schedule this week, which included a trip to the Netherlands to once again visit her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. She is also scheduled to celebrate her 47th birthday on Saturday together with Filipino Duterte supporters in front of the ICC. While the vice president is abroad, the Senate is busy preparing for the trial, with the rooms already prepared and the robes for the senator-judges already measured. The reading of the articles of impeachment against the Vice President had originally been scheduled for June 2, when she would have still been in Europe. On Thursday, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero announced that the reading has been postponed to June 11. The trial will be held at the Senate's session hall with the gallery open to the media and members of the public. The witness stand that had been used during the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada in 2000 has been brought out of the museum to be used again. The Senate of the 19th Congress will adjourn on June 13. The 20th Congress will then convene on July 28, the day of the President's State of the Nation Address. Senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has questioned whether the impeachment is transferrable to the 20th Congress. In response, House prosecutor Lorenz Defensor likened the impeachment trial to a regular trial, saying, "Once a case is filed with the trial court, the judge may retire, the judge may get promoted, but the case stays on with the trial court. Hindi nadi-dismiss ang kaso just because napalitan ang mga judges [The case is not dismissed just because the judges are replaced]." For his part, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said, 'Yung prinsipyo kasi ng Senate is a continuing body, kaya merong 12-12. Twelve ang incumbent katulad ko, may 12 na bago. So continuing body siya, so 'yang principle na 'yan, tingin ko ma-a-apply 'yan sa mga ganitong situation, tulad ng impeachment.' (The principle of the Senate is that it is a continuing body, that's why there's 12-12. There's 12 incumbents like me and 12 others who are new. So it's a continuing body and that principle will apply in this kind of situation like the impeachment.) Senator Joel Villanueva also said that an impeachment court is still functional regardless if there are changes in members. He added that the vice president could question this before the Supreme Court, noting that the senators can discuss the matter next month. 'I think the SP is looking forward to having a caucus before the opening,' said Villanueva. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
SWS: 87% of Pinoys want new Senate to prioritize education
Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos want the newly composed Senate to prioritize reforms on education in the upcoming 20th Congress, the latest survey by Stratbase and Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed. The survey conducted on May 2-6 asked respondents which issues the upper chamber must prioritize after the midterm elections, which was conducted last May 12. A large number of respondents said that the Senate should definitely prioritize improving accessibility of education by strengthening the public education system, distribution of scholarships, and expansion of vocational training programs. A recent study by the Philippine Statistics Authority found that 5.58 million Filipinos who have at least graduated junior high school are considered functionally illiterate. The SWS poll also showed that 83% believe that senators must support agricultural development with subsidies, training, and market access for farmers to boost food security. There were 82% who said that the Senate must prioritize investing in healthcare systems and 79% said that senators should push for expanding social welfare programs for low-income families. Further, 74% of the respondents are expecting the upper chamber to deal with the calls to increase the minimum wage and 73% said that promoting job creation must definitely be prioritized. The survey showed that 71% agree that senators should work on the implementation of price control measures to stabilize the cost of essential goods and services. There were 67% who said that the Senate must strengthen governance reforms to ensure transparency and accountability in government's spending. The survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group was done through face-to-face interviews of 1,8000 registered voters (aged 18 years and above) nationwide: 300 in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±2.31% for national percentages, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News
