Philippine News Agency
Senate minority demands start of VP Sara impeachment trial
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III formally moved for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court to try Vice President Sara Duterte.
He warned that the Senate's inaction since receiving the articles of impeachment on February 5 has sparked public distrust.
Pimentel cited the constitutional mandate that trial by the Senate must 'forthwith proceed' once articles of impeachment are transmitted.
He stressed that the word 'forthwith' means without delay, emphasizing there are no exceptions.
Several academic institutions and legal organizations have also urged the Senate to comply with its constitutional duty.
Senator Risa Hontiveros seconded Pimentel's motion, stating it is about fulfilling a constitutional duty.
A recent OCTA Research survey indicates that 78% of Filipinos desire an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte.
The defense team for Vice President Duterte remains prepared to address the charges and believes the impeachment process should not be used as a political tool.
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Senator Risa Hontiveros criticized the continuous delays in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, calling them "obstructions dressed up as protocol" and a "betrayal of constitutional duty."
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Eighteen senators voted to return articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to the House of Representatives due to alleged constitutional infirmities.
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Ninety-seven members of the University of the Philippines College of Law Faculty, along with faculty from De La Salle University (DLSU), Ateneo School of Government (ASoG), and other Ateneo schools, urged the Senate to commence the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
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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.
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Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolf Azcuna, who drafted the accountability provisions of the 1987 Constitution, stated that an impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte can continue in the 20th Congress if the Senate initiates it before the current session adjourns.
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