Senate Motion Questions 20th Congress Impeachment Court
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a former police chief turned lawmaker, revealed plans to file a motion in the Senate plenary. His goal is to determine if the Senate in the 20th Congress will acknowledge and be bound by the actions taken by the impeachment court of the 19th Congress regarding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, dela Rosa emphasized the importance of this question. He said it is only fair to ask the Senate itself since the impeachment court has already directed the House of Representatives to certify its readiness to proceed with the impeachment complaint against the vice president.
“I will also ask. Since we asked the House of Representatives, why not ask ourselves also? That’s the same. So let’s ask the Senate of the 20th Congress if they are willing to be bound by the actions of the previous Senate of the 19th Congress,” dela Rosa said.
Background of the Impeachment Proceedings
On June 10, dela Rosa moved to dismiss the impeachment complaint against Duterte. This motion led the Senate to convene as an impeachment court. After several hours of deliberations, the motion was amended by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Cayetano proposed that the Articles of Impeachment be sent back to the House of Representatives.
Along with this return, the Senate sitting as an impeachment court requested the House to certify whether it violated the Constitution by initiating more than one impeachment complaint against the vice president within a single year. The court also sought confirmation if the 20th Congress is prepared to pursue the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte.
Senator Dela Rosa’s Next Steps and Senate’s Role
When asked if he plans to renew the motion to dismiss Duterte’s impeachment complaint once the 20th Congress opens, dela Rosa responded negatively. Instead, he intends to first ask the Senate whether it acknowledges the previous Senate’s decisions.
“Maybe the first motion I will raise is to determine whether or not the Senate of the 20th Congress is willing to be bound by the actions of the previous Senate. That’s my only question in order to settle the issue of jurisdiction,” he explained.
Senate President Chiz Escudero earlier mentioned that any decision on motions in the impeachment court could be settled by a simple majority vote. He noted that this would require at least 13 senators to agree.
Vice President Duterte’s Defense
In a 35-page legal answer, Duterte’s representatives urged the dismissal of the impeachment complaint, labeling it “void ab initio,” meaning invalid from the start. This defense underscores their argument that the complaint lacks legal foundation.
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