Senate holds caucus today on VP impeachment

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will hold an all-member caucus today to discuss legislative matters as well as the Supreme Court (SC)’s decision to strike down the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional, Senate President Francis Escudero announced yesterday.

Holding a caucus is a rare move under the leadership of Escudero, who typically favors open-floor deliberations over closed-door discussions.

Escudero said the main purpose of the caucus is to “discuss the work that needs to be done,” but said proceeding with the impeachment would “most likely” be discussed.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada maintained that there should no longer be a trial because going against the SC decision is “flirting with constitutional crisis.”

“It’s useless, the Senate can’t convene as impeachment court because the SC has already decided,” Estrada told reporters.

It remains unclear whether the Senate would be voting to proceed with the impeachment during regular session or as an impeachment court, but Escudero stressed that the chamber needs to implement the SC decision.

‘Pink’ senators disagree with SC

Disagreeing with the SC decision, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan said the House of Representatives and the Senate complied with its mandate in the 1987 Constitution to initiate, transmit and receive the Articles of Impeachment for trial.

“We respectfully disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling that halted the Senate’s constitutional duty to try the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte,” the senators aligned with the “pink” camp of former vice president and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo said in a joint statement.

They said the SC decision redefined the “one-year bar rule” or the prohibition on initiating more than one impeachment complaint against one impeachable official within the same period of one year.

“To retroactively apply a new definition of what it means to ‘initiate’ an impeachment case – after the fact – can be likened to changing the rules in the middle of the game. It is unfair,” the senators said.

The senators called on institutions like the Supreme Court to “harmonize the seemingly conflicting provisions of the Constitution on judicial review and the exclusive powers of Congress.”

“We did not swear an oath only to protect positions by way of technicalities. We swore to protect the Constitution – and the right of every Filipino to demand truth and justice,” they said.

“If we allow this precedent to stand, we risk silencing the very process meant to keep power in check,” they added.

At a press briefing yesterday, Hontiveros said their camp is preparing a joint resolution that she hopes the other senators would sign to express their sentiment about the SC’s alleged “judicial overreach” in the controversial decision.

‘Exclusive power’

Commenting on the SC decision, Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua said impeachment is an “exclusive power” of Congress.

Chua noted that parts of the SC decision are not in the Constitution, the House rules on impeachment, as well as past SC decision on impeachment matters.

“There are many in the decision that are new. It abandoned their previous decision that are existing,” Chua said.

At the same time, Speaker Martin Romualdez maintained the lower chamber’s position on the SC ruling: “Let me say this with utmost respect: the Supreme Court has spoken, and we recognize its decision. But let it never be said that the House of the people bowed in silence.”

“We are not moved by personalities, but by principles. We are not driven by vendetta, but by vigilance. Our goal has never been to destroy – only to demand the truth. When institutions falter, the House of the People always stands firm,” he added.

Meanwhile, Akbayan party-list Reps. Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña and Dadah Kiram Ismula, as well as Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, wore peach ribbons during the opening of the 20th Congress yesterday, emphasizing their support for the continuation of the impeachment trial of Duterte. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Jose Rodel Clapano, Delon Porcalla