SARA DUTERTE’S IMPEACHMENT

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Senate today voted overwhelmingly to archive the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, effectively halting the impeachment proceedings. The decision, reached with 19 senators voting in the affirmative, four against, and one abstention, adheres to the Supreme Court’s July 25, 2025, ruling that declared the impeachment process unconstitutional.

The Senate’s move came after lengthy deliberations and a motion by Senator Rodante Marcoleta to dismiss the complaint, which was later amended to “archive” the documents. The amended motion explicitly cited the Supreme Court En Banc’s “immediately executory decision” that found the Articles of Impeachment “null and void ab initio” and stated that the Senate “did not acquire jurisdiction over the same.” The Articles of Impeachment were originally received by the Senate on February 5, 2025, during the 19th Congress.

Prior to the archiving vote, a motion by Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to table Marcoleta’s motion was rejected with a vote of 5 in favor and 19 against.

Supreme Court’s basis for ruling

The Supreme Court’s late July ruling blocked the Senate impeachment trial, citing a violation of the constitutional provision against initiating multiple impeachment proceedings against the same official within a single year. The House of Representatives had impeached Vice President Duterte in early February, charging her with graft, corruption, and an alleged assassination plot. However, her defense team argued that earlier complaints filed against her in the House constituted prior impeachment proceedings, triggering the one-year bar. The High Court concurred, stating that any new impeachment attempt could only be introduced after February 6, 2026.

Senators explain their votes

Senators offered various explanations for their votes, reflecting a split in approaches to the High Court’s decision and the impeachment process itself.

Voting yes (19 senators):

• Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero emphasized upholding the “Rule of Law, yes to the Constitution, yes to the supremacy of the Supreme Court in interpreting it.” He also sent a strong message to the House of Representatives, urging them “not to allow themselves to be used for the blind hatred and ambition of a few, who did things haphazardly, gravely abused their discretion, and violated due process rights under the Constitution as found by the High Court itself.” He asserted that the Senate is “not their playground to run after their political enemies and not an accomplice in any grand scheme.”
• Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada declared his vote as being for “law over lawlessness” and “country over partisanship,” referencing his father’s impeachment trial. He stressed that “no one is above the law” and that the “Constitution is the supreme law of the land.”
• Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa questioned why the Senate should not accept the Supreme Court’s ruling in this case when it has accepted others in the past, cautioning against “playing with fire” and emphasizing the need for the Senate to “peacefully co-exist with the Supreme Court.”
• Senator Alan Peter Cayetano clarified that archiving the complaint means it is “dead but could be revived should the Supreme Court reverse its ruling.”
• Senator Sherwin Gatchalian stated his vote was in favor because the Supreme Court ruling was clear, and he would not go against it.
• Senator Loren Legarda voted yes “without prejudice to the Supreme Court’s disposition of the pending Motion for Reconsideration,” stating that “the Senate must not act contrary to what it has already said.”

Voting no (4 senators):

• Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III argued that the Supreme Court decision is pending appeal, making it “more prudent to wait for the result rather than prematurely archiving if not dismissing.” He expressed concern that once archived, the case is “dead.”
• Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that the Senate was “voting to abandon this mandate” to try impeachment cases, emphasizing that the Supreme Court decision is “not yet final.” She stressed the importance of “accountability” and the people’s power “to make the highest rulers accountable.”
• Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan clarified that those who voted against the motion were not suggesting disrespecting the Supreme Court but merely raising the point that the decision is still subject to a motion for reconsideration.

Abstention (1 senator):

• Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson abstained, stating he would “rather wait, not preempt, the final ruling of the High Court,” given the pending motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives. He indicated he would have voted in favor if the motion had not included the “immediately executory” phrase and the July 25, 2025, ruling details.

How the senators voted:

YES (19)

• Alan Peter Cayetano
• Pia Cayetano
• Ronald Dela Rosa
• Sherwin Gatchalian
• JV Ejercito
• Francis Escudero
• Jinggoy Estrada
• Bong Go
• Lito Lapid
• Loren Legarda
• Rodante Marcoleta
• Imee Marcos
• Robinhood Padilla
• Erwin Tulfo
• Raffy Tulfo
• Joel Villanueva
• Camille Villar
• Mark Villar
• Juan Miguel Zubiri

NO (4)

• Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV
• Risa Hontiveros
• Francis Pangilinan
• Vicente “Tito” Sotto III

ABSTAIN (1)

Panfilo Lacson