Hontiveros to block motion asking if Senate should go on with impeachment

Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros plans to block Senator Bato dela Rosa’s motion asking senators of the incoming 20th Congress if they are willing to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. (Picture from her office)

MANILA, Philippines —Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros plans to block Senator Bato dela Rosa’s motion asking senators of the incoming 20th Congress if they are willing to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“It’s already in our hands, why would we surrender it?” Hontiveros said of the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

In an interview on Thursday, Hontiveros told reporters that she sees no issue in terms of the Senate’s jurisdiction over Duterte’s impeachment trial.

“I don’t know of any court that asks others if they have the jurisdiction when in fact they already got it. Usually, courts and, I suppose, the Senate are also the same; I would suppose the Senate, as an impeachment court, is protective of its jurisdiction. It’s already in our hands. Why else would we surrender it? That equates to us surrendering our duty,” she said.

The opposition lawmaker said that the Senate’s duty to hold and conduct an impeachment trial is not conditional. Hence, there is no longer a need to ask senator-judges if they are willing to proceed with their duty, she said.

‘It’s not conditional as to whether we’re willing or in the mood. It’s our duty, the constitution orders us to comply, and we should be willing and able, and since it has already crossed, it’s already our responsibility. It’s no longer a question of whether we’re willing or not. We should be,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Former top cop turned lawmaker Sen. dela Rosa bared that he intends to raise a motion before the Senate plenary to determine whether or not its composition in the 20th Congress is willing to be bound by the actions of the 19th Congress in terms of Duterte’s impeachment trial.

READ: Senate votes to send back Duterte impeachment to House

In a press conference on Wednesday, dela Rosa signified his intent to raise such a motion, pointing out that it is only justifiable to question the Senate as well since the impeachment court already ordered the House of Representatives to certify that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice-President.

“I will also ask the same question. Since we asked the House of Representatives, why not ask ourselves also? That’s the same. So let’s ask the Senate of the 20th Congress if they are willing to be bound by the actions of the previous Senate of the 19th Congress,” de la Rosa said.

READ: House prosecutors see false claims in Sara Duterte’s answer ad cautelam

On June 10, dela Rosa made a motion seeking to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte. This motion led the chamber to convene as an impeachment court.

After hours of deliberation, dela Rosa’s motion was amended by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who moved that the articles of impeachment be returned to the lower chamber. The amended motion also sought the House to certify that it did not violate the Constitution for allegedly initiating more than one impeachment complaint in a year./coa