Senate Impeachment Court Jurisdiction: Key Issue at Hand
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa stressed that the Senate impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte’s case has yet to be officially established in the 20th Congress. This unresolved status makes the question of jurisdiction critical as the new Congress begins its session.
On July 24, the senator emphasized the importance of addressing the Senate impeachment court jurisdiction issue promptly once Congress opens on July 28. He plans to bring up this matter on the Senate floor on July 29, underscoring that “jurisdiction is very important. It has to be settled first,” he said in a phone interview.
Unfinished Business and Jurisdiction Debate
Dela Rosa considers the impeachment case against Duterte as unfinished business from the 19th Congress, which ended on June 30, the same day the 20th Congress began. Although the Senate convened as an impeachment court last June 10, the senator pointed to Rule XLIV of the Senate, which states, “All pending matters and proceedings shall terminate upon the expiration of one (1) Congress, but may be taken by the succeeding Congress as if presented for the first time.”
He argued that the rule does not explicitly limit unfinished business to legislative matters alone. “If there’s no distinction between legislative and non-legislative business, then any unfinished business has to go back to zero,” he said, highlighting the need to clarify jurisdiction before proceeding.
Jurisdiction Should Precede Impeachment Court Formation
The senator also maintained that the Senate itself can resolve the jurisdiction question before it formally convenes as an impeachment court. In response to Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ claim that these issues should be discussed only within the impeachment court, dela Rosa countered, “That’s her opinion. Why? Has the impeachment already been formed? Has the impeachment court of the 20th Congress already been constituted? Not yet. Not at all. So that’s just her opinion.”
Previous Senate Actions on the Impeachment Case
Back on June 10, during a privilege speech, dela Rosa moved to dismiss the impeachment case against Vice President Duterte. He accused the House of Representatives of bypassing the Constitution through “intentional inaction” on the first three impeachment complaints filed in December 2024.
This motion triggered the Senate to convene as an impeachment court immediately. However, instead of voting on dela Rosa’s motion, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano proposed returning the Articles of Impeachment to the House without dismissing or terminating the case.
The Senate adopted the amended motion, ordering the House to certify that it had complied with the one-year ban on impeachment complaints and that the 20th Congress would pursue the case against Duterte.
Implications and Next Steps
The ongoing debate over the Senate impeachment court jurisdiction highlights the complexities surrounding impeachment proceedings amid congressional transitions. The resolution of jurisdiction issues will shape how the case proceeds in the coming weeks.
For more news and updates on Senate impeachment court jurisdiction, visit Filipinokami.com.
