Ridon: Senate decision respected, but VP impeachment will push through

MANILA, Philippines — While they respect the Senate’s decision to change its leadership, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon believes the process of impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte will continue.

In a statement on Monday, after former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto was removed from his post, which led to the election of Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, Ridon said the sending of the articles of impeachment would continue once the House of Representatives votes on the matter.

“We respect the process of the Senate in choosing its own leadership,” Ridon said in Filipino.

“However, we will continue with the process of sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate once voting is held today,” he added.

Earlier, during the Senate session, Cayetano moved to have all positions declared vacant, which was approved through a nominal vote, with 13 senators voting in the affirmative and 10 voting in the negative.

READ: Alan Cayetano is now Senate president

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who has been absent from the Senate plenary for half a year, appeared to be the deciding factor, as his attendance meant that Cayetano had the support of 13 senators, the minimum number of votes needed to change leadership.

WATCH: Dela Rosa attends Senate plenary for the first time since Nov. 11

The House is expected to vote by Monday afternoon on whether it should approve the articles of impeachment against Duterte. Several lawmakers believe that over 215 lawmakers will vote in favor of the articles’ approval, well beyond the requirement set by the Constitution.

Under Article XI, Section 3(3) of the 1987 Constitution, a one-third vote of all House members is needed to affirm or override the committee’s recommendation to impeach Duterte. With 318 members in the House, one-third is 106 members.

Several senators, meanwhile, believe that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court once the House sends the articles of impeachment.

On Sunday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian — an official under Sotto’s term — said that the Senate may convene by May 13, Wednesday, if the articles are transmitted to the upper chamber on Tuesday.

READ: Gatchalian: Senate may convene as impeachment court on May 13

“If there will be voting at the House tomorrow, I expect it will be transmitted to us on Tuesday. And based on SP’s (Senate President Vicente Sotto III) statements, the impeachment court will be convened on Wednesday,” Gatchalian said in an interview with radio DZBB on Sunday.

“Right away, because he wants to convene it immediately. Although admittedly, the Supreme Court has already issued a ruling that it is up to the discretion of the Senate what the definition of ‘forthwith’ is, as long as it is within reasonable grounds. So it is up to the discretion of the body if they want it right away or if there are reasonable grounds,” he added.

It is unclear how the Senate under Cayetano’s leadership will proceed regarding this issue.

Last April 29, after three clarificatory hearings, the committee unanimously voted in favor of motions to declare the existence of probable cause. The secretariat said that all 53 members present voted in the affirmative.

READ: House justice panel finds probable cause to impeach Sara Duterte

Last May 4, 55 members of the committee voted to approve the committee report. After the resolution containing Committee Report (CR) No. 261 was filed, it was brought to the plenary on Tuesday and distributed to lawmakers on Wednesday.

READ: Luistro: Justice panel may approve Sara Duterte impeach report by May 4

According to CR No. 261, the two complaints were consolidated into four grounds:

• culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust through the systematic liquidation misuse, misappropriation, and irregularity of confidential funds amounting to P500 million under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million under the Department of Education (DepEd)
• culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust when Duterte amassed unexplained wealth manifestly disproportionate to her lawful income and earnings during her incumbency as a public official
• bribery, graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust when she gave monetary gifts or payments to DepEd officials to induce the violation and circumvention of procurement and other related laws
• culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust by contracting for the assassination of the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House, by making grave threats, and by actively inciting sedition against the republic

/mcm /atm