The House of Representatives has no choice but to accept the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte following the Senate’s decision to return the case to the lower chamber, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said on Wednesday.
Escudero, who serves as the presiding officer of the Senate sitting as an impeachment court, clarified that the Senate and House are not equal bodies when it comes to impeachment proceedings.
“In impeachment cases, the Senate acts as the court while the House serves as the prosecution. It is not appropriate, in my view, for the House to defy an order from the impeachment court,” Escudero said during a press conference, responding to questions about the possibility of the House rejecting the articles of impeachment.
“This is not like a bicameral conference where both chambers need to agree. This is a directive from the impeachment court addressed to the prosecutor, which is just one party in the case. Parties and courts are never equal in any legal setting anywhere in the world,” he added.
On Wednesday afternoon, Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Roberto Ancan was seen at the Office of the Secretary General in the House of Representatives, possibly to relay official documents related to the case.
Earlier in the day, San Juan City Representative Ysabel Maria “Bel” Zamora, a member of the House prosecution panel, questioned the Senate’s authority to remand the articles of impeachment back to the House.
“We were shocked by the Senate’s action last night. For us, remanding the articles of impeachment to Congress goes beyond the Senate’s powers. They do not have the authority to do that,” Zamora said in an interview.
Meanwhile, the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms served the writ of summons to Vice President Duterte at her office in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday morning. The Office of the Vice President confirmed receipt of the summons at 11:05 a.m.
The political standoff adds another layer of complexity to the high-profile impeachment case, with both chambers of Congress interpreting their constitutional roles differently.
