Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan revealed that deliberations over a proposed Senate resolution backing Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment have been quietly unfolding since the July 28 State of the Nation Address (SONA). He, alongside Senators Risa Hontiveros and Bam Aquino, crafted the measure to affirm the Senate’s role in the trial, despite a recent Supreme Court (SC) order pausing proceedings.
In a Rappler interview aired July 30, Pangilinan explained that the resolution had first circulated informally during SONA, then formally brought to caucus discussions. “After we had that statement, we brought it to the attention of the majority in the caucus,” he said, referring to their earlier opposition to the SC’s decision. “Some senators said they would review it.”
The draft resolution has so far garnered the support of Pangilinan, Aquino, Hontiveros, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III. It remains under review and has not yet been officially filed.
According to Pangilinan, the resolution draws on the constitutional analysis of former Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna, urging the judiciary to reconcile conflicting constitutional provisions related to impeachment timelines and procedures. “You don’t use one provision of the Constitution to defeat another,” Pangilinan argued.
The senator noted that the House acted within bounds when it impeached Duterte and transmitted the Articles of Impeachment in February, citing precedent from the *Francisco* ruling that considers an impeachment “initiated” only upon referral to the House Committee on Justice.
The Supreme Court, however, interpreted the dismissal of three prior complaints as activating the one-year bar rule, declaring the fourth attempt unconstitutional. Pangilinan contested this view, saying, “The House was guided by the Francisco ruling, so that should be valid.”
The Senate is expected to reconvene on August 6 to examine the ruling’s implications and weigh next steps in Duterte’s impeachment trial. (ZIA LUNA)
