VP Duterte questions impeachment articles carried over to 20th Congress

Vice President Sara Duterte is questioning the validity of impeachment articles filed against her in the 19th Congress being carried over to the 20th Congress.

Senator Francis Tolentino stated that impeachment proceedings from the previous Congress cannot continue in the 20th Congress, as the Senate is not a continuing body.

This view is shared by Senate President Francis Escudero and Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who noted that the 19th Congress's mandate ends on June 14.

However, constitutionalist Christian Monsod argued that dismissing the impeachment case against Duterte without a trial would violate the Constitution, as the Senate has a duty to hear the case.

Monsod stated that a majority of the Senate cannot stop impeachment proceedings, as this would be a violation of their constitutional duty.

Despite this, Dela Rosa and other senators are working on a resolution to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte.

Senate President Escudero had previously postponed the reading of the impeachment articles, and Tolentino suggested the case would be "functionally dismissed" if not finished before June 30.