Vice President Sara Duterte, October 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — It would be “unconstitutional” if the Senate dismisses the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives against Vice President Sara Duterte through a resolution, without holding a trial, several lawmakers said Wednesday.

Sen. Imee Marcos confirmed earlier in the day that several draft resolutions were seeking to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Duterte.

“Under the Constitution, ang trabaho ng Senate is to hear, ‘di ba? …Hindi ko naiisip kung paano nila idi-dismiss ‘yan without first conducting the trial. That is their constitutional mandate… Well for me, that is unconstitutional,” said Manila City Third District Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the House prosecution panel. 

“Kung ito naman ay babalewalain by a mere resolution, tingin ko parang hindi naman maganda… They have to explain it to the people,” he added.

Chua asserted that the Constitution mandates the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and hold a trial after receiving the articles of impeachment from the House. He said that such a mandate should not be subject to a vote by the Senate plenary.

“That is not their legislative function, that is their constitutional duty. Matik ‘yun eh, dahil nasa Constitution ‘yun. Dapat mag-convene sila… Hindi kailangan pag-botohan ‘yun,” Chua said.

“We maintain our position that Senate is a continuing body… kaya nga may naiiwan sa kanila, diba? So, para tuloy-tuloy ‘yung kanilang duty at walang matitigil,” he added.

“Mataas naman ang pagtingin natin sa ating mga senador, lalong-lalu na sa ating Senate President. Siguro mas maganda na gawin lang nila what is mandated by the Constitution,” Chua urged senators.

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Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative-elect Leila De Lima said agreed that a potential resolution seeking to dismiss the articles of impeachment is unconstitutional.

"Every senator has the right to apply anything to file a resolution for this, for consideration of the body. But the very text itself of that resolution, if that is in fact the contents of that draft resolution, this is clearly, clearly unconstitutional," she said in a press conference in Quezon City.  

"It does not follow, hindi po sinusunod ang utos ng ating Constitution," De Lima said.

The former senator and justice secretary said it's important to go back to the purpose of the impeachment and what is stated in the 1987 Constitution.  

"Una dito ay accountability. Pangalawa ay yung halaga, yung halaga ng proseso, yung talagang importante na halaga ng impeachment sa sistemang demokrasiya. Pangatlo ay yung paglatag ng proseso para walang pwedeng maging balakid ang impeachment. At ang pangapat, hindi batas ang impeachment. Hindi ito gawaing mambabatas," she explained. 

De Lima reiterated that the impeachment is not an ordinary legislative process.

"Dahil galing executive at sa judiciary ang mga impeachable officials, kaya binigay ang trabaho ng impeachment sa kongreso. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na dahil dinigay ang trabaho ng impeachment sa kongreso, parang batas at susunod sa legislative calendar. Hindi ito, hindi rin ito batas na kapag matapos na 19th Congress ay kailangan I-refile sa 20th Congress," she said.  

"Wala hong sinasabi sa ating 1987 Constitution na kapag tumawid ang impeachment sa susunod na kongreso, sa ibang kongreso ay kailangan itigil na rin ang impeachment trial bago ito matapos," De Lima added.

Senator Ping Lacson, who was a judge during the impeachment trial of then Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, said he has received a copy of the supposed resolution.

Lacson said the resolution could still be questioned before the high court.

"That's a possible scenario pupunta sa Supreme Court. Although ang general view ko na hindi dapat mag-iintervene ang Supreme Court. Dapat sparing," De Lima said.  

"Ang bantayan lang natin sa Supreme Court is whether it will decline and say it's a political question. Another ano nanaman yan, another issue nanaman yan. Kung ganun ang sabihin ng Korte Suprema being the final arbiter of legal and constitutional issues, wala na talaga mangyayari. Kasi ganun, considered de facto dismissed, if it is finally and formally adopted," she added.

'MANDATORY'

Two other members of the House prosecution panel also believe the Senate cannot simply dismiss the impeachment complaint by a mere resolution and that holding a trial is “mandatory”.

“The Constitution is clear. Article XI Sec. 3 Par. 6, the Senate has the sole power to try and decide all impeachment cases. There is no mention at all of dismissal, which means it is mandatory that they conduct a trial and thereafter decide, whether for acquittal or for conviction,” Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro said.

“The Senate cannot simply dismiss the impeachment complaint. At the very least they should convene as an impeachment court as mandated by the Constitution and act on the complaint filed by the HoR,” Bukidnon Second District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores added.

For House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, it would be “unacceptable” and “brazen” if the Senate adopts the supposed resolution seeking to dismiss the impeachment complaint without holding a trial. She said it would be tantamount to “absolving” Duterte from allegations of confidential fund misuse.

“Hindi tayo pumapayag d’yan, at hindi po katanggap-tanggap sa atin ‘yan. Napakagarapal naman na gawin ‘yan ng Senado sa ngayon… Ang umiingay na panawagan ngayon ay put the Vice President in trial. Ito kasi parang shinort cut eh,” Brosas said.

“Paano ipapaliwanag sa atin na may misuse of public funds? …‘Pag ganyan, parang ina-absolve na nila ‘yung isa sa mga pinakamataas na posisyon sa gobyerno natin at hindi mapapanagot yun. At ‘yun ang nakakatakot na precedent,” she added.

Brosas and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel suspect “political accommodation or convenience” is behind the alleged moves to dismiss the impeachment complaint against Duterte before even holding a trial.

“‘Yung Senado, mukhang marami siyang tinitimbang, even the leadership siguro ng Senate is in question, kaya siguro nagkakaganyan. Pero we go beyond that. Sa usapin ng public accountability and transparency, you should be transparent. Senado pa man din kayo,” Brosas said.

Manuel added, “Sobrang nakakahiya bilang isang Pilipino na may ganito tayong mga senador na nag-a-attempt na i-dismiss na lang… ‘yung articles of impeachment na nakarating sa kanila. With all due respect, we remind all senators na bahagi ng pag-take nila ng posisyon ay ‘yung pag-tackle ng kahit anong articles of impeachment na la-landing sa kanila. In the first place, kung hindi pala sila handa kasi gusto nilang i-prioritize ‘yung political convenience or accommodation.”

“They have to review their functions and their mandate. Kasi hindi pwedeng mamimili sila aling functions lang yung kanilang gagampanan based sa kung ano lang ‘yung convenient para sa kanila,“ he added.

He challenged senators to fulfill their constitutional mandate, and issued this warning.

“Kung mayroong mag-aattempt na gawin ‚yun, ay pag-iinitan talaga ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan na naniniwala for various reasons na dapat pa rin matuloy ang impeachment trial,“ Manuel said.

“Kasama ang mga youth groups natin na magpaprotesta, dahil hindi tayo makapapayag na hindi simulan, at gusto pa nga ay huwag nang mangyari at all itong impeachment trial sa Senado,” he added.

Senate President Francis Escudero has said no resolution to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Duterte was filed as of Tuesday night.

Escudero: Senate not bound by House's preferred impeachment timeline