Senators Show No Bias in Vice President Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial
Several senators—Risa Hontiveros, Koko Pimentel, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Grace Poe—demonstrated impartiality in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. These senator-judges voted against returning the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives, affirming their commitment to constitutional and procedural fairness.
House impeachment prosecutor Ysabel Maria Zamora spoke on June 16 about concerns over potential bias among certain senator-judges in the impeachment proceedings. “May take on that is that Senator Hontiveros or even the four others who voted against the motion to remand, these five senator-judges have not shown any bias against the Vice President,” Zamora told reporters. She added, “What I believe that they have shown is adherence to the Constitution and to the Senate impeachment rules.”
Controversy Over Motion to Return Articles
Last week, the five senators opposed a motion to send back the impeachment articles to the House. The motion was initially proposed by Senator Ronald Bato dela Rosa, a known Duterte ally, who sought to dismiss the case outright without proceeding to trial. However, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano amended this motion to merely remand the articles instead.
The amended motion passed with an 18-5 vote. Despite this, Zamora emphasized that voting against the remand does not equate to bias against Vice President Duterte. Instead, it reflects respect for the constitutional mandate requiring the Senate impeachment court to conduct a trial once the articles are received.
Background and Articles of Impeachment
The House of Representatives submitted the articles of impeachment on February 5, more than four months ago. The 1987 Constitution directs the Senate to proceed with impeachment trials upon receipt of such articles.
The seven articles against Vice President Duterte are serious and varied:
1. Conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
2. Malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
3. Bribery and corruption within the Department of Education (DepEd).
4. Unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets.
5. Involvement in extrajudicial killings (EJK).
6. Destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.
7. The totality of the Vice President’s conduct.
These charges have stirred significant public and political attention, underscoring the importance of an impartial and constitutional process.
For more news and updates on Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment, visit Filipinokami.com.