Senator Bam Aquino Calls for Evidence-Based Impeachment Ruling
MANILA, Philippines — Senator-judges involved in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should decide solely on the evidence presented, Senator-elect Bam Aquino emphasized on Wednesday. Aquino stressed the importance of a fair and impartial review, urging the court to avoid political bias.
Aquino, who secured the second-highest votes in the recent senatorial election, will officially take office on June 30. He is expected to serve as a senator-judge if the impeachment trial continues into the 20th Congress.
“I think we should rule based on the evidence,” Aquino said during an interview at the Senate. “Our duty is to look at the evidence and make a decision based on it — not to decide before seeing the evidence. I think that’s the most important thing. That’s our responsibility. And that applies to me, and to everyone.”
He added, “Let’s wait for the process, look at the evidence, and make a decision based on the evidence — not based on your political affiliation.” Aquino’s comments came amid Vice President Duterte’s recent move to dismiss the impeachment case filed against her.
Vice President Duterte Seeks Dismissal of Impeachment Case
On Monday, Duterte’s legal team filed a 35-page “ad cautelam” (with caution) answer seeking to dismiss the impeachment complaint. The Vice President argued the fourth impeachment complaint lodged by the House of Representatives was “void ab initio,” meaning it was invalid from the start for violating the one-year ban on filing impeachment cases.
Earlier complaints were submitted in December 2024. However, only the fourth complaint, which gained the support of 215 lawmakers on February 5, was transmitted to the Senate and led to the convening of the impeachment court.
Senator-judge Ronald Dela Rosa also filed a motion to dismiss the case when the court convened on June 10. Nonetheless, Senator Alan Cayetano amended this motion, proposing instead to return the Articles of Impeachment to the House of Representatives.
Upholding Integrity in Impeachment Process
Senator Bam Aquino’s call for an evidence-based ruling highlights the need for integrity and fairness in the impeachment proceedings. As the Senate sits as an impeachment court, the focus remains on ensuring decisions are guided by facts, not political leanings.
“Our responsibility is clear: we must base our conclusions on tangible evidence,” Aquino reiterated, underscoring the Senate’s duty to uphold justice.
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