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MANILA, Philippines — As far as the House of Representatives is concerned, the net effect of the 19 senators’ decision to “archive” the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte is almost synonymous with burying the dead.
“To archive is, in effect, to bury the Articles of Impeachment,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said yesterday in a statement, which also noted the Senate did this “despite the case still pending before the Supreme Court (SC).”
He also reminded their Senate counterparts that the SC ruling dismissing the Duterte impeachment is “not final,” which means a reversal may still be possible.
“The filing of the complaint was not rushed. What was rushed – remarkably - was its burial,” Romualdez said.
Rep. Benny Abante of the House committee on human rights warned that the Senate’s decision “sends a dangerous message on accountability.”
“The impeachment process is not about 2028. It is about whether public funds were used during a time when no legal mandate had yet been conferred to an office. That is a clear question of constitutional integrity – not political ambition,” Abante said.
House committee on good government and public accountability chairman Rep. Joel Chua, warned that the House leadership, including impeachment prosecutors, “shall not be deterred in our quest for accountability.”
Accountability
Sen. Risa Hontiveros insisted yesterday that pushing for the resumption of Duterte’s impeachment trial despite the SC decision is a matter of accountability, not politics.
Hontiveros made it clear that the impeachment process is about holding the second-highest official in the land accountable for the serious charges leveled against her.
“The Articles of Impeachment allege that the Vice President did not carry out her duties when it comes to accounting for public funds, following the code of conduct of public officials and respecting human rights,” she told “Storycon” over One News on Thursday.
“I will always go back to the matter of accountability that goes beyond electoral matters,” she stressed.
Hontiveros is only one of four senators who voted against archiving the Articles of Impeachment, arguing that the upper chamber should exercise prudence by waiting for the SC’s final decision on the matter.
She acknowledged that it might be “better” for the Senate to archive the Articles of Impeachment rather than dismiss them outright, as Sen. Rodante Marcoleta initially suggested in his motion before the Senate leadership altered the wording.
She also lamented the insinuations of Senate President Francis Escudero that some ex-justices who opposed the SC’s ruling were trying to act as the “Supremest Court.”
“This is deeper, this is higher than mere partisan politics,” Hontiveros said. “It’s still about accountability.”
‘Cowardly’
The Senate’s decision is a “cowardly way to kill impeachment and protect Duterte” the Makabayan bloc and other progressive congressmen said yesterday.
“This so-called archiving is nothing but a cowardly retreat by a Senate too scared to face the truth,” former Gabriela women’s party representative and one of the endorsers of the impeachment complaint in the 19th Congress said.
“The Senate chose to shield Duterte from scrutiny. That’s not public service, that’s self-preservation,” Arlene Brosas said in a statement.
Gabriela Women’s Party stressed that the decision reeks of political bias and fear—favoring the Duterte camp while denying the public their right to demand answers.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co said the Senate only wants to spare itself from the optics of openly junking the case.
“By shelving the case, the Senate proves it is more afraid of the Duterte camp than Filipino taxpayers demanding answers,” Tinio said.
“It is obvious who they are truly serving,” Co said.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said the Senate should have waited for the finality of the SC ruling on the motion for reconsideration filed by the House.
“Instead, the Senate hammered another nail on the coffin of accountability, whatever they would call it, to dismiss, archive, or from the word of the Senator, kill the Articles of Impeachment,” Diokno said in a statement.
Former Bayan Muna congressman Neri Colmenares said the decision is a betrayal of the Filipino people’s demand for accountability and a dangerous precedent that undermines the Constitution.
“The Senate turned their back on their constitutional duty,” Colmenares said.
Meanwhile, Tindig Pilipinas coalition co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee flashed a thumbs-down sign just as Marcoleta finished explaining why he voted “yes” to archiving the Articles of Impeachment. Dee was eventually asked to leave the chamber.
Minutes later, Akbayan party-list president Rafaela David and other progressive leaders rose to give the thumbs down as well while Sen. Imee Marcos was explaining her “yes” vote. They were escorted out by Senate staffers.
Over 300 members of Bayan and other allied organizations protested along Elliptical Road in Quezon City in protest of the Senate’s decision.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Raymond Palatino warned that the Senate vote will spark more protests against what he described as a system that protects big-time thieves, mass murderers, traitors and corrupt government officials.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said the public should remember this point in history when they vote for the presidency in 2028.
“Hence, let the public decide her fate come election,” he said.
Enlighten SC
The House prosecution panel is optimistic that the Motion for Reconsideration (MR) it filed will enlighten and convince the SC to revise their ruling on the impeachment complaint filed against Duterte.
Antonio Audie Bucoy, House prosecutors’ spokesman, in a press conference on Wednesday said it is important that they were able to mention the factual and legal basis for their MR and hope that the SC will eventually respond to their plea.
“We believe that the justices are also human, who can commit mistakes. And what really happened is laid down on them, the factual, they will be enlightened. We do not criticize by virtue of the motion for reconsideration,” Bucoy said.
“We call the attention of the Supreme Court. That is fulfilling our duty as lawyers, as citizens. We recognize that there may be mistakes. Now, if we can present the factual basis and what are the legal basis, we hope that the Supreme Court will respond,” he added.
Bucoy also clarified that the SC decision on the unconstitutionality of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, although immediately executory, is not yet final.
“It is not yet final, although it was stated in the decision, executory. It is not said that this decision is final, it cannot be revised, it cannot be reviewed. That is why in our process, a motion for reconsideration is allowed and that is what we did,” Bucoy said.
The House submitted its MR on Aug. 5. — EJ Macababbad, Jose Rodel Clapano, Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso, Evelyn Macairan.
