The Makabayan Coalition hold a protest in front of the House of Representatives on November 25, 2024, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Duterte, who they say is shamelessly using her position to steal millions in government funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Several progressive groups on Wednesday lauded the House of Representatives' vote to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, paving the way for a Senate-led trial that would decide whether or not the official would be ousted from her post.

House impeaches VP Sara Duterte

At the House plenary session on Wednesday, 215 of 306 House members supported a fresh complaint against Duterte, more than the 102 that was needed for a complaint to be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

“Sara Duterte’s expiration date from power is near. This impeachment is the people’s verdict against the Dutertes’ long-standing corruption and lack of accountability. The message is clear: the era of impunity is ending, and those who plunder and oppress will be held to account,” said Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, the endorser of the first impeachment complaint against Duterte.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, who is Akbayan's first nominee in the May elections, also hailed Duterte’s impeachment "as a triumph of the spirit of EDSA."

“Pilit nilang sinira ang imahe ng EDSA at inagaw ang diwa nito, pero sa dulo, sila ang napaso," Diokno said.

The vice president has yet to respond to her impeachment but her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, early Wednesday afternoon called the gathering of signatures for impeachment "a clear act of political persecution."  

Rep. Duterte also warned that there would be "consequences" for what he said was a "sham" impeachment proceeding.

He said that attendees of a supposed peace rally organized by religious group Iglesia ni Cristo showed that people are against the impeachment of his sister.

Groups calling for Duterte's impeachment have organized smaller protests in parts of the Philippines to call for action on complaints failed against the vice president.

A Social Weather Stations survey in December showed 41 percent of Filipinos support the impeachment of Duterte while 19 percent are "undecided."

Vice President Duterte has denied allegations of misuse of confidential funds and has attributed the impeachment complaints and the scrutiny of her offices' spending on politics.

SENATE AS IMPEACHMENT COURT

The articles of impeachment were formally delivered to the Senate on Wednesday afternoon. 

'Enough' lawmakers support 4th impeachment complaint vs VP Sara Duterte: House secgen

Under the Senate's Rules on Impeachment Proceedings, the Senate will set the date and time for the consideration of the Article of Impeachment once these are presented to the upper chamber.

Akbayan urged the Senate to "match the courage demonstrated by the citizens and the House" by convicting the Vice President.

"The Filipino people are watching, and history will judge whether our senators will uphold their constitutional duty or allow political expediency to stand in the way of justice,” Cendaña said.

"The Senate must not falter. This is a moment of truth... The country deserves a Senate that will not cower in the face of power," Diokno added.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, whose members were among the signatories in a second complaint filed, said the logical next step would be for the Senate to convene into an impeachment court.

"Let the impeachment trial be a venue to educate the public on the systemic corruption present in our government," Bayan president Renato Reyes Jr. said in a separate statement.

"Let the trial expose the abuses in the system of confidential funds. Let the people be active participants, not just mere spectators in the upcoming trial," he also said.

Reyes said that it is not true, as some opponents of the impeachment proceedings have argued, that there will be nothing gained from the impeachment proceedings.

"The trial will expose the system of bureaucrat capitalism which we should all oppose," he said, referring to the use of political power for personal or commercial gains.

Gabriela Youth also issued the same call to the Senate, asserting that the vice president should be convicted and not be allowed back into public service.

"Nasa kamay ng Senado ang susunod na hakbang upang ituloy ang impeachment trial. Walang dahilan upang ipagpaliban ang paglilitis. Dapat agad na simulan ang proseso upang mapanagot si Duterte sa kanyang mga paglabag at katiwalian," Makabayan president Liza Maza said.

LEGAL QUESTIONS

However, a law expert who had participated in a previous impeachment proceeding said that with the midterm election just around the corner, the timing of Duterte's impeachment was "unique."

Rep. Duterte warns of 'consequences' of VP Sara impeachment

"Ngayon ang haharaping [dilemma] ng Senado would be gagawa ba sila ng timeline na naaayon sa prosesong ito? Ibig sabihin niyan, magpapatuloy silang magtrabaho. Pero syempre may iba sa kanila reelectionist. So that's a matter they will have to decide on," said Tranquil Salvador III, a defense lawyer during the Corona impeachment trial.

(Now the dilemma that the Senate will face is whether they will have a timeline that will follow the process. Meaning, they will continue working. But, of course, some of them are reelectionists)

Congress has adjourned until June, which will be after the midterm elections in May.

Salvador said in case the Senate leadership decides to hold off the impeachment trial until a new set of senators take office in June, the validity of the impeachment complaint may be questioned in court.

"Kapag hindi nila inaksyunan, wala na ba yung complaint? Magre-refile ba ulit? Will it [be considered] within the same year? Baka may mag-akyat sa Korte Suprema kasi unique yung kaniyang hinaharap," he said.

(If they do not act on it, will the complaint be considered void? Will it need to be refiled? Will it be considered to have been filed in the same year? Someone might bring this to the Supreme Court because it is a unique situation) — with Jonathan de Santos, ABS-CBN News

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