Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto confirmed that he and Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros will oppose any attempt to completely dismiss the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in the Senate.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Sotto stressed that their colleagues must first hear their reasons for rejecting efforts to terminate the proceedings.
“So I expect that the, when the time comes that there is a motion that will be filed we will object it and we will ask our colleagues to listen why we are objecting,” Hontiveros said.
Sotto expressed confidence that he and Hontiveros can gain more support from other senators to question the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte “unconstitutional.”
According to Sotto, Senators Pia Cayetano, Ping Lacson, Bam Aquino, and Kiko Pangilinan have also raised questions about the ruling.
“But I am hearing some points also from my other colleagues, there are some questions that are being imposed by Senator Pia Cayetano, Senator (Ping) Lacson, Senator Bam Aquino, Senator (Kiko) Pangilinan so it’s not just Risa and I,” he said.
The veteran lawmaker said he is ready to engage in a plenary debate on the matter, stressing that the court’s decision could have serious implications for future impeachment trials.
Sotto even pointed out that the ruling could retroactively nullify past impeachment proceedings.
“Ang mangyayari, etong ano, impeachment ni Erap at impeachment ni Chief Justice Corona will become null and void, magiging null and void because of the decision of the Supreme Court,” Sotto asserted.
The Senate is set to tackle on August 6 whether it will follow the Supreme Court’s decision or proceed with the impeachment trial against Vice President Duterte.