DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Different groups across the nation, including Davao City progressives, expressed dismay at the decision of the Senate to remand the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives.
Just when the senators took oath as judges for the impeachment on the night of June 10, pro-Duterte Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa filed a motion to dismiss the case, leading to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano calling for the remand, or the return, of the impeachment articles. With 18 senators voting for the motion and five opposing the proposal, the impeachment was postponed indefinitely.
In response, various organizations released statements condemning this action as unconstitutional and contrary to the principles of truth and justice. In Manila, activist groups staged a protest in front of the Senate building.
The Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao in their statement said, “(t)here is no provision for the Senate, sitting as Impeachment Court, to send back the articles or delay the proceedings.”
The religious organization, One Faith One Nation One Voice, also joined the call, citing the heavy responsibility of Congress, whether the current 19th or the incoming 20th, to duly prosecute the crimes of corruption, human rights violations, and sedition filed against the Vice President.
“Let no corner be cut, let no stone be left unturned, let every credible witness and relevant evidence be presented,” the group said in their statement.
Civil society group Konsensya Dabaw, represented by its convener Mags Maglana, also called for the immediate resumption of the trial’s proceedings, claiming that every Dabaweno must uphold their championed principle of discipline to defend what is right.
She said these values must be applied proximately to the two senators who are from Davao, Dela Rosa and Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go.
Maglana said the possible scenario of passing the impeachment complaint between the Senate and the House like a ping-pong will erode public trust and confidence in the government. “Ang magiging dating sa mamamayan ay uh hindi pala totoo na no one is above the law (What this appears to the people is that there’s no truth to the maxim that no one is above the law),” she said.
Abdul Rauf Sissay, Bayan Muna Regional Coordinator seconded the motion, saying, “We believe that the remand of the articles of impeachment ay para protektahan mismo si VP Duterte sa ano mang uri ng ng pagsi-seek ng accountability from her.”
Sissay added that this scenario would allow Duterte’s allies in the Senate and the House the opportunity to derail the impeachment process in any way possible.
Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) echoed similar sentiments, using the hashtag #MarcosSingilinDutertePanagutin. They called on the President to expedite the impeachment process, stressing the public’s right to know the truth and the importance of maintaining democratic integrity.
Bayan Muna Partylist voiced strong opposition to the Senate’s decision with the phrase “Senado, Taksil sa Mamamayan! (The Senate betrayed the people)”.
Partylist Chairman Atty. Neri Colmenares criticized the move as lacking precedent, stating, “Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng Judge na binalik sa Complainant ang kanyang Complaint para tanungin kung maayos ba ito, at kung handa syang pursigihin ito. (It’s only now that I’ve seen a judge returned the complaint to its complainant just to ask if it was well written and if they are ready to pursue justice.)
With the agitation from these organizations sensing a biased decision from the Senate driven by political alliances, APCHRP said this intentional delay undermines justice and accountability, while Colmenares expressed concern that the Duterte camp might exploit it to evade responsibility.
The uncertainty that spreads from these unprecedented developments raises serious concerns about political maneuvering and the lack of urgency in addressing a pressing national issue.
“The proposal of Sen. Pimentel was the correct and the most practical idea—for the impeachment court to convene and summon the House prosecutors to answer the questions raised by Sen. dela Rosa in the approved motion rather than remanding the impeachment complaint,” said Colmenares.
Maglana said that convening the impeachment was the simplest solution to resolve the doubts towards the Vice President and the government. (davaotoday.com)
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