Senator Risa Hontiveros confirmed that a draft resolution is currently being circulated in the Senate, containing advice from several former Supreme Court justices on how the chamber should handle the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The development follows the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment filed by the House of Representatives against the Vice President as “unconstitutional.”
“Mayroong draft resolution, hindi joint resolution, pero resolution na tinatrabaho ng ilang mga senador kasama po ako,” Hontiveros said in a press conference.
She added, “Draft pa rin siya sa ngayon eh, pero nagsa-cite po siya ng mga references sa ilang mga dating justices na nagbibigay ng payo, ilang mga gabay kung paano pwedeng mag-move forward.”
According to Hontiveros, four senators have already signed the draft resolution—herself, Senators Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, and Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto.
Hontiveros noted that some senators intend to use the resolution during the August 6 plenary session, the date set by Senate President Chiz Escudero for deliberations on whether to proceed with the impeachment trial or not.
Senator Ping Lacson acknowledged that the Senate remains divided on the issue, with one bloc pushing to terminate the impeachment proceedings altogether.
“We should not act as a form of compliance because we have no jurisdiction… That is my position,” Lacson said, suggesting it would be better for the Senate to wait for the House of Representatives to file a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court.