Senate ‘partially’ obeys SC, archives ‘AOI’

On Aug 12, 2025

Beware of legal mercenaries masquerading as ‘legal luminaries’: In his explanation of ‘Yes’ vote on his own motion to archive the impeachment complaint vs. Vice President Sara Z. Duterte last August 6, 2025, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Rodante D. Marcoleta appealed to the public to be more discerning when listening to the views of so-called ‘legal luminaries’ who may have their own agenda in questioning the decisions of the Supreme Court (credit to Senate PRIB).

THE Senate ‘partially’ adhered to the unanimous ruling of the Supreme Court that declared as “unconstitutional” the Articles Of Impeachment (AOI) against Vice President Sara Duterte.

At their session last August 6, the Senate minority, headed by Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, tried to block the motion of Senator Rodante Marcoleta for the outright dismissal of the AOI, claiming they had to first wait on the SC’s action on the motion for reconsideration filed before the Supreme Court two days previously, on August 4, by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

But a voting on the motion ordered by Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero resulted to 19 votes against and 5 in favor, all from the minority bloc.

The current Senate minority is composed of Sotto as Minority Leader and senators Panfilo Lacson, Bam Aquino, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros.

As a compromise, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano moved to amend Marcoleta’s motion. Instead of outright dismissal as motioned by Marcoleta, the majority senators agreed to archive the AOI as suggested by Cayetano.

The archiving is seen as a partial compliance to the SC order while respecting the motion for reconsideration filed by Romualdez.

Nineteen senators, including those who run under the administration ticket in the midterm polls voted in favor of archiving the impeachment, namely: Cayetano, his sister Pia, Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, his half-brother, Jinggoy, Escudero, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, presidential sister Imee Marcos, Marcoleta, Robin Padilla, Erwin Tulfo, brother Raffy, Joel Villanueva, Camille Villar, brother Mark and former Senate President Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zuburi.

Instead of again voting with the minority, Lacson decided to abstain.

The highest court is unlikely to reverse its decision last July 25 despite the motion for reconsideration filed by Romualdez.

It also said that since Congress violated the one-year ban on the filing of an impeachment complaint, the earliest impeachment against the Vice President can only be filed on February 6, 2026.