Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte and Senator Risa Hontiveros. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros admitted that her past knowledge and opinions of Vice President Sara Duterte and the 2028 Presidential Elections will weigh heavily on her mind when she decides her vote on the impeachment trial. 

If convicted, Duterte won't just be ousted from the vice-presidency but also banned from government -- presenting Duterte critics a real shot at taking her out of the running for the 2028 Presidential Elections. 

"Of course, it's on our minds also. Kasi isa sa mga mabibigat na implikasyon 'yan or consequence ng isang impeachment. And for others, lalo na yung mga victim-survivors na nakatrabaho namin sa mga earlier investigations... hindi nga ito looking forward eh... it's also finally a reckoning sa mga past na mga krimen laban sa kanila na never pa nila nakakuha ng substantive na hustisya," Hontiveros, who will serve as one of the Senator judges if the trial pushes through, told the Kapihan sa Senado. 

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"So in a way kung matuloy na yung impeachment trial, past and future will collide in the present. And imperfect as any process is, imperfect as any decision is, baka pagkakataon din ito at responsibilidad sa amin sa Senado to give a little bit more of a measure of justice and accountability sa mga hindi pa nakatanggap nito." 

"I think fair enough to say na may judgment na akong namumuo the past several years na nakita ko sa performance ni VP on the issues na ininbestiga namin dati... So it's only human na that will come into play in my mind and memory pagdating the impeachment trial. But ang sinasabi ko kanina eh for the impeachment trial as for any judge or justice or sa ibang bansa... the challenge is, to try to listen to everything and think of everything as if new, as if fresh." 

Despite her controversies, Duterte remains a leader in electoral surveys on the 2028 presidential polls. 

Hontiveros' party endorsed one of the impeachment complaints against Duterte at the House. She has been a vocal critic of the Dutertes over various issues. In 2024, the senator and Duterte faced off at a budget hearing on the OVP's budget. 

"Akbayan was the endorser, not a complainant, but the endorser of the first complaint. Pero bago pa man hinain nung aming mga allies sa civil society yung several impeachment complaints... nire-raise na namin dito sa Senado ng minority," Hontiveros said. 

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"So, bago pa man sa mga party or partisan considerations, siguro mas doon nakabatay yung tingin ng mga mamamayan kung ano yung posibleng maging boto ko o boto namin. Dahil sa mga issue na nakapaloob sa mga grounds. And at the end, syempre, kumbaga natatangi 'yung prosesong impeachment, sabi nila sui generis. "

Still, Hontiveros assured the Vice President and her supporters of her fairness and impartiality. 

"So, bilang senator-judge, eventually, kung matutuloy na ito, at gaya ng paalala ni SP, magiging impartial, fair, aaralin talaga at titimbangin yung mga ebidensya," she said. "I have always tried to be fair. I have always tried to be objective. and I have always tried to be respectful sa mga witnesses, kahit sila pa yung pinatutungkulan ng investigasyon, and the same would be true if and when the impeachment trial gets underway."

Hontiveros also explained that it will be hard to ignore public opinion when they make their judgments. Earlier today, a WR Numero poll showed 47% of Filipinos to be against the impeachment. 

"I think surveys are taken into consideration ng kahit sinong mamamayan na nasa responsabling position. And of course, including us here in the Senate. Isang paraan kasi na kunin yung pulso ng mamamayan. And at the same time, bagamat nga, gaya ng sinasabi ng mga kababayan natin, impeachments are also political, pero impeachment trial is a trial," she said.

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"So kahit siguro yung mga judge or justices sa mga trials distinct from an impeachment trial ay talagang sinusubukan nilang magsuot ng garb of impartiality. So again that will be one of the requirements to us. I guess I can't say it plainer than that."

Senate President Francis Escudero cited the adjournment of the Senate for the May Elections for a timetable that begins after the Senate resumes legislative sessions in June with a judgment likely by October. Duterte has asked the Supreme Court to halt her trial by raising technical issues over the transmittal of the House of Representatives. 

But Hontiveros thinks that timetable is too long, insisting that it is the Senate's duty to begin the trial now. 

"Medyo sobrang matagal na. And kapag ganun ang mangyari, ganun mag-play out, magrerenege kami the Senate of the 19th Congress na gawin ang aming tungkulin na dinigin itong articles of impeachment. And to be fair, not just to the public official who would be on the stand, most of all, at ito sa issue ng fairness, objectivity, and partiality, to be fair to the people," she said.

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"There's no reason we should wait four months or even one more month. Pwede na po namin simulang gawin ang aming responsibilidad ngayon." Hontiveros said. 

Hontiveros conceded that the matter has become an election issue which candidates maybe trying to avoid. 

"Well, that's a fair consideration siguro sa kahit sinong re-electionist. Pero, malay ba natin kung gawin ng ating mga mamamayan at botante na electoral issue itong impeachment? Kasi hindi lang simpleng political issues ang grounds for impeachment. Mga usapin talaga ng paggogobyerno. Mga usapin ng transparency and accountability. So it could go either way," she said.

"'Yung pagtantya ng mga kasama naming re-electionist. And it's easier said than done, lalo na sila naman ang re-electionist, pero over and above everything else, tungkulin talaga namin. And I suppose, isang basis para sa electability or re-electability ay yung pagtupad sa tungkulin. " Hontiveros explained." Pero I think fair na mag-sing bigat yun. At lalo na nga kung maging election issue itong impeachment. "