The Senate, acting as the impeachment court, voted to return the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives, without dismissing or terminating the case.
The motion was approved with 18 senators voting in favor, five against, and no abstentions.
This decision came after Senator Bato dela Rosa’s motion to dismiss the impeachment complaint against VP Duterte.
Following extensive deliberations, the senator-judges agreed to remand the impeachment complaint back to the House. The motion to return the articles was filed by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
Senators who opposed sending the articles back include Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Sherwin Gatchalian.
Senators who voted in favor include Senate President Chiz Escudero, Senator Bato dela Rosa, Senator Robin Padilla, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, Senators Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senators JV Ejercito, Ramon Revilla Jr., Joel Villanueva, Lito Lapid, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Raffy Tulfo, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Meanwhile, the Senate, serving as the impeachment court, has issued a writ of summons to Vice President Duterte.
VP Duterte is ordered to submit her response within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the summons.
The House will then have five days to file a reply.
Due to this development, the presentation of the House prosecutors on the articles of impeachment was not continued today, as Senate President and Presiding Judge Francis Escudero declared the matter “rendered moot” with the Senate’s convening and issuance of summons.
