MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald dela Rosa confirmed on Wednesday, June 4, that he was the author of one of the three draft resolutions circulating in the Senate that seek to dismiss the impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte. Dela Rosa stated that the various drafts could potentially be combined to create the most effective version, which he hopes to file in the coming days.

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Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives in February on charges of “high crimes,” including corruption and an alleged assassination plot against former ally President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She has denied any irregularities in her office’s use of confidential funds and asserted her remarks on Marcos were taken out of context. To avoid removal from office and a permanent ban from public service, the Vice President needs nine votes from the 24-seat Senate for an acquittal.

Dela Rosa’s admission comes amid a debate among lawmakers regarding the constitutionality of dismissing an impeachment complaint through a resolution without conducting a trial. Manila City Third District Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the House prosecution panel, argued that the Senate’s constitutional mandate is to hear the case. “I can’t imagine how they would dismiss that without first conducting the trial. That is their constitutional mandate… Well for me, that is unconstitutional,” Chua stated, adding that if the complaint were disregarded by a mere resolution, “it doesn’t seem right… They have to explain it to the people.”

The Senate is currently set to vote on June 11, the last day of the 19th Congress—on whether the impeachment trial against Vice President Duterte should be carried over to the 20th Congress, which convenes next month.

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