SENATE VOTES TO ARCHIVE VP SARA IMPEACHMENT CASE

THE Senate on Wednesday voted by an overwhelming majority to archive the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The move was in adherence to the decision of the Supreme Court that declared the complaint “null and void ab initio” and that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the case.

Voting 19 in favor, 4 against and 1 abstention, the chamber approved the motion of Senator Rodante Marcoleta to “adhere to the immediately executory decision” of the SC en banc dated July 25, 2025, effectively transferring the impeachment complaint to the archives.

Among the senators who voted yes to archive the impeachment case were Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The four lawmakers who voted against archiving the case were Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, and Sen. Bam Aquino.

Senator Ping Lacson abstained from voting on the motion to archive the case.

A separate motion by Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III to lay Marcoleta’s motion on the table lost in a vote of 19 affirmative against 5 negative votes.

According to the Supreme Court, the impeachment  complaint  against VP Sara violated the constitution’s one-year bar rule and failed to provide due process to the respondent, leading the tribunal to invalidate the proceedings from the outset.

Senate President Francis Escudero underscored the SC’s role as the final interpreter of the Constitution.

“Respect for the rule of law requires all of us to adhere to final or immediately executory court decisions, even when there’s a winner and a loser,” Escudero said.

The Senate leader cited the Francisco vs. House of Representatives ruling, which similarly restrained Congress from proceeding with an impeachment case against then-Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. in 2003.

Escudero warned against “cherry-picking” court rulings, saying that doing so would destroy the judiciary’s purpose and create a constitutional crisis.

“Let this chamber be remembered not for the passions we inflamed, but for the principles we upheld,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada expressed support to the statement of Escudero.

 “Let history show that I chose principle over pressure, law over lawlessness and country over partisanship,” Estrada said.

Majority Leader Joel Villanueva called the SC decision “a vindication” of the Senate’s earlier action to remand the Articles of Impeachment to the House due to procedural lapses.

The House of Representatives impeached VP Sara in early February, charging the vice president with graft, corruption and an alleged assassination plot against one-time ally and former running mate President Ferdinand Marcos.