By: Jetaime Kaina Cerbito, Tyrese Calica
Vice President Sara Duterte appears for her office's first budget hearing with the House appropriations committee last August 28, 2024. Photo Courtesy: House of Representative.
The House of Representatives casts 215 votes in favor of the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on Feb. 5, referred to the Senate for trial after the midterm elections break.
The 215 votes constituting two-thirds of House members, surpass the one-third requirement pursuant to Article 11, Section 3, Paragraph 4 of the 1987 Constitution on Accountability of Public Officers, and Section 13, Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings.
The impeachment complaint was filed, during the last session of Congress prior to its recess in the run-up to the election season, signed under oath by 215 lawmakers, well above the 102 endorsements needed for the process to move forward, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said.
The complaint detailed seven Articles of Impeachment, citing conspiracy to commit murder, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery, and culpable violation of the Constitution.
Meanwhile Senate Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, the presiding officer of the House floor before Congress recessed on Thursday, handled the logistics of the impeachment process and its immediate recommendation to the Senate.
The Articles of Impeachment were received on Wednesday at 5:49 p.m. by Senate Secretary Renato Bantug, but it failed to be reported before the plenary adjourned its last session at 7:00 p.m.
Senate President Francis Escudero says the Senate can only act on the impeachment complaint on Jun. 2 when the Congress resumes following the midterm election break.
However, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III raised the possibility of the Senate acting on the impeachment bid amid its break, as Senate rules could still be waived if there is a 100 percent “unanimity or consent” or no objections.
Conviction at the Senate trial could lead to the removal of Vice President Duterte from office and a permanent disqualification for her to hold any government-related position in the future.