‘Move on na’: Heed SC’s decision on VP Sara’s impeachment case, some senators say

Some senators seem already keen on attending to other matters following the Supreme Court’s decision declaring the articles of impeachment against the Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional on Friday, July 25.

Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said that while he cannot speak for or on behalf of his colleagues on this matter, but stated that the Senate has always been firmly committed to the rule of law, and that he expects the body, when they convene the 20th Congress, to take a collective stand by acceding to the High Court’s decision.

“Nonetheless, I welcome this decision, which serves as a vital reminder that all efforts to hold public officials accountable must be firmly grounded in legality and due process,” he said.

“As a co-equal branch of government, we must abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. Even in a political process like impeachment proceedings, we must adhere to established procedures and due process to ensure that our actions are neither arbitrary nor solely driven by political agendas,” he added.

Estrada said that they can focus on more pressing issues confronting the country, as well as the rehabilitation of areas devastated by the spate of typhoons that have hit the country over the past several days.

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a known Duterte ally, didn’t shy away from expressing his elation to the ruling, stating that the “Holy Spirit” has defeated the “forces of evil”.

“When I moved for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint vs VP Sara, I was guided by the Holy Spirit. When the SC ruled it as unconstitutional, I’m sure they were guided also by the Holy Spirit,” he said in a Facebook post.

On the other hand, Senator Imee Marcos, a member of the Upper Chamber’s Duter7, said that the decision of the Supreme Court should be respected.

“Sa mga kasamahan kong senador — trabaho na po tayo. Atupagin na natin ang kapakanan ng mamamayan (To my fellow senators — let’s get back to work. Let’s focus on the welfare of the people),” she said.

“Awat muna sa pulitika (Let’s set politics aside for now),” she added. — Dhel Nazario

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