Senator Robin Padilla on Monday affirmed that he will “naturally” oppose procedural movements in the Senate once the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte are transmitted, arguing that resistance to the majority is the fundamental constitutional role of the minority bloc.
In an ambush interview, Padilla—a staunch ally of the Duterte family—rejected potential accusations of bias, explaining that block-voting or procedural pushbacks from his faction should be viewed through the lens of standard parliamentary practice rather than blind political loyalty.
“‘Di ba ang papel naman ng minority to oppose? Hindi lang impeachment. Lahat ng bagay dito ang trabaho namin ay i-oppose,” Padilla said. “So sana wag kaming pagbintangan kapag kami ay nag-oppose, wag kaming sabihan na kami ay bias. Trabaho po ng minority ‘yun.”
DISAGREEMENT WITHIN THE MINORITY
While Padilla explicitly stated that it is a “natural parliamentary custom” for the upper chamber’s minority to resist convening the court, his remarks exposed immediate cracks within his own nine-member bloc.
Minority Senators Imee Marcos and Jinggoy Estrada quickly distanced themselves from Padilla’s sweeping statement, clarifying that no collective strategy has been finalized.
”Walang ganun (There’s no such thing like that),” Estrada countered. “We will follow all rules and procedures. There are many lawyers in the minority; we will follow what is right. We will follow the law.”
The current composition of the Senate minority bloc includes:
- Leadership: Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Deputy Minority Leader Rodante Marcoleta
- Members: Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher “Bong” Go, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Joel Villanueva
SENATE BRACES FOR TRANSMITTAL
The legislative friction comes as the House Committee on Justice unanimously approved its committee report finding probable cause across consolidated complaints against Vice President Duterte. The complaints cite allegations ranging from the misuse of confidential funds to high-profile threats against executive officials.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III stated that the Upper Chamber is fully prepared to fulfill its constitutional mandate.
Sotto indicated that if the House plenary successfully votes to transmit the Articles of Impeachment, the Senate could formally convene as an impeachment court as early as mid-May.
While Padilla acknowledged that senators must take an oath to serve as impartial judges, he reminded reporters that an impeachment process can never be completely divorced from its political reality.