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TULAD ng inaasahan, iminungkahi ni Senador Rodante Marcoleta ang agarang pagbasura sa “verified impeachment complaint” laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Inihain ni Marcoleta ang mosyon sa gitna ng kanyang privilege speech, kasabay ng giit na hindi angkop salungatin ng senado ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema na una nang nagsabing “unconstitutional” ang Articles of Impeachment” na pinasa ng Kamara sa Senado.
“Mr. President, when the Supreme Court (SC) negates the actions of a co-equal branch of government, it does not assert its superiority. Instead, it upholds the supremacy and the dominance of the fundamental law of the land—-the Constitution,” wika ng bagitong senador.
“And so the Supreme Court has already spoken, the last arbiter of law. It says the complaint is unconstitutional, is void ab initio, is violative of due process. The Senate never acquired jurisdiction over this. It is immediately executory. And on that note, Mr. President, I respectfully move that the impeachment complaint be dismissed,” dugtong ni Marcoleta.
Para kay Marcoleta, “terminated” na ang impeachment proceedings dahil tapos na rin naman aniya ang 19th Congress.
“I do not know and I’m not aware, I cannot recall of any action so far taken by this August Chamber to the effect that the initial impeachment proceedings, which were deemed to have been terminated at the expiration of the 19th Congress at noon of June 30, 2025 have been miraculously brought to life into the present Congress,” aniya pa.
Gayunpaman, kinontra ni Senador Tito Sotto ang paandar paniniwala ni Marcoleta.
“Please, let us allow and give chance to the Supreme Court to rectify its decision which contains clear and blatant errors for their sake and for the sake of future proceedings. Let us not dismiss forthwith,” pahayag ni Sotto
“And in that light, considering the motion of the gentleman, to motion to dismiss, I move to table the motion to dismiss. A motion to table is a higher precedence than a motion to dismiss,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas na tumayong senate president mula 2018 hanggang 2022.
Sa botong 13-0-2, idineklarang “unconstitutional” ng Korte Suprema ang Articles of Impeachment laban kay VP Sara bunsod ng umano’y paglabag ng Kamara sa tinatawag na “one-year rule” na nakasaad sa 1987 Constitution.
Gayunpaman, nilinaw ng Korte Suprema na na hindi pa rin abswelto ang pangalawang pangulo na umano’y naglustay ng hindi bababa sa P612-milyong confidential funds na inilaan para sa Office of the Vice President (OVP) at maging sa Department of Education kung saan siya nagsilbing Kalihim. (ESTONG REYES)
