Before the senators take their oath as judge, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa expresses his stance on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. However, Senator Dela Rosa motions for the dismissal of the verified impeachment complaint, citing constitutional issues and concerns about the jurisdiction and authority of the 20th Congress. (Video courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)
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NewsTranscript
00:00Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
00:05imagine a house, Mr. President, an unfinished one,
00:10one that is still being built.
00:13Where do we begin?
00:15Of course, with solid foundations, a level ground,
00:21as well as an honest blueprint.
00:24Hindi pwede ang mga shortcut.
00:27Hindi pwedeng madaliin.
00:30Kung babaliwalain ng mga architects at mga engineers
00:34ang mga basic requirements,
00:37hindi magiging matibay ang itatayong bahay.
00:42Maari itong magdulot ng panganib,
00:44hindi lamang sa mga maninirahan dito,
00:49kundi maging sa ibang mga kabahayan sa paligid nito.
00:53If any of us happened to discover
00:56that the house we were living in
00:59was structurally unsound,
01:02we would likely scramble to have it retrofitted.
01:05We would probably file cases in anger against developers.
01:12I doubt any of us would simply shrug our shoulders,
01:17saying,
01:19andito na tayo eh.
01:21Hayaan na lang.
01:21Now, imagine a house of representatives
01:27that built and filed the impeachment complaints
01:31against Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte.
01:36Trabahong inupuan sa simula.
01:39At noong papalapit na ang deadline,
01:44biglang naging buzzer-beater.
01:47Mabilisang pinasa sa atin
01:49at ngayon,
01:51tayo naman ang pinipilit
01:53at minamadali.
01:55Pinapagalitan pa nga.
01:58That is your sworn duty.
02:02Tama na ang pamumuluti ka.
02:04This is undue delay.
02:08Sandali.
02:09Bakit kaya sa pagkakataon at pangyayaring ito?
02:14Tila madali lang para sa atin ang sabihin,
02:17andito na tayo eh.
02:19Andiyan na nga eh.
02:21Mr. President,
02:23the House of Representatives
02:24are of the belief
02:26that they have built a solid case
02:29against Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte,
02:34prompting them to file an impeachment case.
02:38But how sound are the foundations
02:40of this impeachment case
02:42filed against the Vice President?
02:46Kagaya po ng konstraksyon ng isang bahay,
02:49ang proseso ng impeachment
02:51ay kinakailangan
02:53na nakatungtong sa isang solidong pundasyon.
02:57Ibig sabihin,
02:58ang mga arkitekto na pasimuno nito
03:01ay may tungkulin
03:03na tiyakin na may tatayuan
03:06ang kanilang mga akusasyon.
03:09Ngunit,
03:10ang impeachment ay isang proseso
03:13na hindi nakasalalay lamang
03:16sa mga arkitekto
03:18o mga instigador nito.
03:21Sa totoo lang,
03:23pinakamadali
03:24ang naging gampanin
03:26ng HOR
03:28sa proseso ng impeachment.
03:31Yun ay ang pagbubuo
03:32ng mga akusasyon,
03:34Mr. President,
03:36kahit sino po ay maaring
03:38magparatang kung kanino man.
03:40Sa bahagi naman po natin,
03:43ang pinakamahirap,
03:45ang paghusga,
03:47ang paggawad ng isang hatol
03:49na makatarungan
03:50at katanggap-tanggap.
03:53Anuman ang nakatuntong
03:55sa mahinang pundasyon
03:58ay laging may panganib na gumuho.
04:02Kung ang isang impeachment case
04:04ay minadali
04:05at nakasandig
04:06sa paghihiganti
04:08at pamumulitika
04:10ay may halintulad
04:12sa isang istrukturang
04:14itinayok
04:15sa gilid ng bangin.
04:18Bagamat tungkulin
04:20o obligasyon natin
04:22sa Senado
04:23na mag-convene
04:25bilang impeachment court,
04:27responsibilidad din natin
04:29na maging mapanuri
04:31at kritikal
04:32sa impeachment complaint
04:34na ipinasarito
04:36sa ating bulwagan.
04:39As I usher
04:40in my sixth year
04:42in the Senate,
04:44my 39th year
04:45in public service,
04:47Mr. President,
04:49I can say
04:50I have gotten better
04:51at spotting irony.
04:54What we refuse
04:55to let happen
04:56to our houses,
04:58we seem to have allowed
05:00our House of Representatives
05:02to do in broad daylight
05:05right under our noses
05:07and at the expense
05:09of our institution's
05:11esteemed reputation.
05:14With this,
05:15Mr. President,
05:16my dear colleagues,
05:17allow me to express
05:19my serious concerns
05:21surrounding
05:22the constitutionally
05:24unsound foundation
05:26of the articles
05:28of impeachment
05:28that the Senate
05:30is set to tackle.
05:33Article 11,
05:35Section 3,
05:36Paragraph 2
05:37of the 1987
05:38Philippine Constitution
05:40provides that
05:42a verified complaint
05:45for impeachment
05:46may be filed
05:48by any member
05:49of the House
05:50of representatives
05:51or by any citizen
05:53upon a resolution
05:55of endorsement
05:56by any member
05:57thereof
05:58which shall be included
06:00in the order
06:01of business
06:02within 10
06:03session days
06:04and referred
06:06to the proper
06:07committee
06:07within 3
06:09session days
06:10thereafter.
06:12Keeping in mind
06:13the aforementioned
06:15constitutional provision,
06:18recall that
06:18on December 2,
06:212024,
06:22the first
06:23impeachment complaint
06:24against Vice
06:25President Duterte
06:27was filed
06:28before the
06:29Secretary General
06:30of the House
06:31of Representatives.
06:33The second
06:34and third
06:35impeachment complaints
06:37were filed
06:38on December 4,
06:402024
06:40and December
06:4219,
06:442024
06:45respectively.
06:46these complaints
06:48were each
06:50endorsed
06:50by members
06:51of the House
06:53of Representatives.
06:55While the
06:56Constitution requires
06:57that a complaint
06:58for impeachment
06:59must be included
07:01in the order
07:02of business
07:03within 10
07:04session days,
07:06the House
07:07of Representatives'
07:08rules of procedure
07:10in impeachment
07:10proceedings
07:11require
07:12the Secretary
07:13General
07:14to immediately
07:16refer
07:19the complaints
07:20to the Speaker.
07:22Despite this,
07:24no action
07:25was ever taken
07:26by the House
07:27on the 3
07:28impeachment
07:29complaints
07:30filed.
07:30It is not
07:32simply
07:33to
07:33forget,
07:34Mr.
07:34President.
07:35It is a
07:36long-term
07:37commitment
07:38of their
07:39internal rules
07:41and constitutional
07:42provisions.
07:44They have
07:45agreed
07:46to
07:46restore
07:47the Constitution.
07:49It is
07:50to
07:50be
07:50to
07:51the
07:51former
07:51Secretary
07:53General
07:54Velasco.
07:56In
07:56media
07:57interviews,
07:58the Secretary General publicly disclosed that the members of the majority of the House of Representatives
08:07asked him to withhold the transmittal of the impeachment complaints to the Speaker.
08:15Their goal then was to give themselves more time to decide whether or not to file another impeachment complaint.
08:25Then, on February 5, 2025, more than two months after the first impeachment complaint was filed,
08:55the House of Representatives took the express the fast track route according to Secretary General Velasco.
09:06Kung ang tatlong naunang impeachment complaint ay pinadaan sa IDSA,
09:13mukhang sa Skyway po ang piniling landas ng House sa pang-apat na impeachment complaint para maiuwi ito sa Senado.
09:22So, with less than an hour before the close of session of that day,
09:31the House of Representatives transmitted to the Senate a verified complaint
09:36for impeachment against Vice President Sarah Z. Duterte purportedly signed by 215 members of the House of Representatives.
09:49My honoured colleagues, had the House complied with their own rules and the Constitution,
09:58the three previous impeachment complaints would have been referred to the appropriate committee
10:04by the time the present impeachment complaint was filed and sponsored by the members of the House of Representatives.
10:13In other words, your honours, the intentional inaction of the House of Representatives allowed its members
10:23to purportedly circumvent the one-year ban enshrined in Article 11, Section 3, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution.
10:36Given the glaring circumvention of the Constitution,
10:43should we allow impeachment complaints which are constitutionally infirm to be heard and tried by this body?
10:53Kung defective po ang foundation ng impeachment complaint,
10:57Marirepare o marirehabilitate ba ito ng pag-convene ng impeachment court?
11:05Hindi po ba mawawala ng saysay ang pag-convene ng Senate as an impeachment court
11:13kung malinaw na labag sa konstitusyon ang nais nating itayo?
11:19Kaya ang impeachment ay isang sensitibong proseso.
11:27Sa pagsampa pa lamang nito, binabato na agad ang akusado ng putik na kahit maakwit ay tila habang buhay ng nakamansa sa kanyang pagkatao.
11:39Pagkatapos ng impeachment, anuman ang magiging hatol,
11:45the damage done to the reputation of the accused will forever be irreparable.
11:52He or she will never be the same again.
11:56Some of the members of this August body may not agree with me
12:01and may take a different view as to whether the one-year ban has been violated by the House of Representatives.
12:10To settle this issue,
12:14the separate opinion of Chief Justice Renato Ispuno
12:18in Francisco versus House of Representatives
12:22provides this body a direction on the course of action
12:29that we may take when confronted with the same issue I laid down.
12:36Former Chief Justice Renato Ispuno said
12:38that before the Senate is convened as an impeachment court,
12:45the Senate, which has primary jurisdiction over the case,
12:50can already decide the question on whether the one-year ban has been violated or not.
12:59That is why, insisting ako na mag-deliver ito before we convene as an impeachment court.
13:07Hindi po natin kailangan hintayin magbagong anyo ang Senado
13:11at maging isang ganap na impeachment court.
13:15Ngayon pa lamang,
13:17ay maari na nating pag-desisyonan nito.
13:19Sumunod ba sa saligang batas at sa internal rules
13:25ng mababang kapulungan ang impeachment complaint
13:28na kanilang ipinasah dito sa Senado?
13:33Nasa Senado po ang pagkakataon upang magwasto.
13:38Kung minadali ng isuar ang impeachment complaint,
13:41bakit kailangan natin itong tumbasan ng kaparihong kawalang pagpapahalaga sa tamang proseso?
13:50Madalas po natin sabihin,
13:52dito sa ating kapulungan,
13:56we are men and women of rules.
13:58Manatili po tayong ganun,
14:02marayo mula sa ingay at impluensya
14:06ng kung sino mang may mga personal na interest
14:10at pakinabang sa pagmamadaling ipinipilit sa atin.
14:18Mr. President,
14:20the inaction of the House of Representatives
14:23resulted not only in a possible violation
14:27of the Constitution,
14:29but in another justiciable controversy.
14:36It is worthy to note
14:37that its new Congress empowered by a fresh electoral mandate
14:42in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
14:46is not bound by the legislative actions of its predecessors.
14:52Hindi po natin maaaring pilitin
14:55ang mga papalit sa atin sa future Congresses
14:59na ipagpatuloy ang anumang ating nasimulan.
15:04Sabi nga po ni President Cheez Escudero kahapon,
15:07the Congress cannot pass an irreparable law.
15:15Lahat ay pwedeng baguhin at galawin
15:18na mga sumusunod na mahalal sa Kongreso.
15:22Maari pong hindi sila gumalaw at hayaan lamang
15:27na nakatiwangwang ang anumang proceeding
15:30na sinisimulan na mga nauna.
15:33When the fourth impeachment complaint was submitted,
15:38the 19th Congress was teetering
15:40on the brink of a long slumber.
15:44The Senate is now being urged to convene
15:48with only two session days,
15:5120 days remaining before the 19th Congress closes.
15:56Hindi man po ako abugado,
15:59alam ko pong walang kaso,
16:01mapasibil, administrative, o kriminal
16:04na dinidinig sa loob lamang ng isang buwan.
16:09Naghihingalo na po ang buhay ng 19th Congress.
16:12Bakit po natin ipipilit pa
16:15kung ang pintuan ng 20th Congress
16:18ay malapit ng magbukas?
16:21Malinaw naman po sa ating rules of procedure
16:23on impeachment trials.
16:25Kailangang isumon ang person impeach
16:28para paharapin sa Senado.
16:32Kailangan din siyang bigyan ng sampung araw
16:35para mag-submit ng kanyang answer.
16:39Limang araw naman ang ibinibigay
16:42sa mga prosecutor
16:43para mag-file ng kanilang reply.
16:47Kaya po, kahit mag-convene
16:50ng impeachment court,
16:52bukas,
16:55summon at pagtanggap lamang
16:58sa pleadings ang kayang magawa
17:00ng 19th Congress.
17:02Sigurado na po tayo
17:04na ang trial kasama
17:05ang pagrepresenta ng ebidensya
17:09ay magaganap sa 28th Congress
17:11kung saan bago na po
17:13ang komposisyon ng Senado
17:15at mababang kapuluan.
17:17Because of the change in members,
17:23questions are being raised
17:24on the jurisdiction of the 20th Congress
17:28to carry on with an impeachment trial
17:31commenced in the previous Congress.
17:34Should the 19th Congress
17:37convene an impeachment court,
17:40what assurance exists
17:41that the 28th Congress
17:44would continue the trial?
17:46Without such assurance,
17:50any efforts by the 19th Congress
17:52would constitute
17:53a significant waste
17:55of government resources.
17:58Even the authority
18:00of the House of Representatives
18:02to continue prosecuting
18:04is being questioned
18:06since the said complaint
18:08was filed by a House
18:10of a different composition.
18:12In fact,
18:15some of those
18:16who signed the complaint
18:17failed to secure a seat
18:19in Congress
18:20in the recently concluded elections.
18:24Mukhang kailangan po natin
18:25ng positive act
18:26from the 20th Congress
18:28House of Representatives
18:30na kanilang itutuloy
18:32ang impeachment complaint
18:34na ginawa
18:35ng 19th Congress
18:37House of Representatives.
18:41Mr. President,
18:42the constitutionally given power
18:46and mandate of the Senate
18:48to try and decide
18:50all cases of impeachment
18:51is an immense responsibility
18:54that must be exercised
18:56in good faith
18:57with sincere intention
19:00to fulfill a solemn oath
19:02not with haste
19:04but with careful circumspection.
19:08Mindful of both
19:09the political
19:10and legal nature
19:12of the exercise.
19:15Ang impeachment
19:16ay isang proseso
19:17na hindi lamang
19:18mag-aalis
19:20sa pwisto
19:20ng isang mataas
19:22na opisyal
19:23ng pamahalaan.
19:25Ito ay isang armas
19:26laban sa sinuman
19:28na hindi umaayon
19:30sa kagustuhan
19:31at mga interes
19:32na mga kaaway
19:34sa politika.
19:34Ito ay apoy
19:36na hindi lamang
19:38nakapapasok
19:39kundi may kakayahan
19:41na tupukin
19:42at sunugin
19:44hindi lamang
19:45ang isang bahay
19:46kundi isang buong komunidad.
19:49Mapanganib
19:50ang impeachment
19:51sa kamay
19:52ng mga mapagsamantala.
19:56Inilalagay
19:57ang impeachment
19:58para putiktahan
20:00ang taong bayan.
20:01Hindi isakdal
20:03at hiyain
20:04ang kumakatawan
20:06sa kanila.
20:08In the 2012
20:09case of
20:10Chief Justice
20:11Renato C. Corona
20:12versus
20:14Senate of the Philippines,
20:16the Supreme Court
20:16declared
20:17impeachment
20:19described
20:21as the most
20:22formidable weapon
20:23in the arsenal
20:25of democracy
20:26was foreseen
20:28as creating
20:30divisions
20:30partialities
20:32and enmities
20:34or highlighting
20:36pre-existing
20:37factions
20:38with the greatest
20:39danger
20:40that the decision
20:42will be regulated
20:43more by the
20:45comparative strength
20:46of parties
20:47than by the real
20:49demonstrations
20:50of innocence
20:51or guilt.
20:54The House
20:54of Representatives
20:55in transmitting
20:57the articles
20:58of impeachment
20:59to the Senate
21:00at the last
21:01hour
21:02and after
21:03refusing
21:04to act
21:05for over
21:05two months
21:06on three
21:08previously filed
21:09complaints
21:10pending with the
21:11House
21:12Secretary
21:12Secretary General
21:13has instead
21:15placed the Senate
21:16in a tight
21:17and impaired
21:18position
21:19where any
21:21decision,
21:22action,
21:23or inaction
21:24on its part
21:25will be put
21:27into question.
21:29An acquittal,
21:30conviction,
21:32or even the
21:33propriety of
21:34proceeding
21:35with trial
21:36will be
21:37hounded
21:38not only by
21:39legal
21:39or constitutional
21:41questions
21:42but by
21:43accusations
21:44of extreme
21:45bias,
21:46partiality,
21:47and lack
21:48of sufficient
21:49deliberation.
21:52Lagi kong
21:52sinasabi,
21:53Mr. President,
21:54hindi ako
21:55abugado.
21:57Nevertheless,
21:58this cannot
21:59disqualify me
22:00from speaking
22:02against
22:02possible
22:03constitutional
22:04blunders.
22:06Hindi kailangan
22:07maging engineer
22:08para
22:09masabi
22:10ng isang
22:11tao
22:11na
22:12unlievable
22:13at hindi
22:14ligtas
22:14ang isang
22:15bahay
22:16o building.
22:18Alam nyo,
22:19alam natin
22:20kung kailan
22:22matibay
22:22at pulido
22:23ang pagkakagawa
22:25katulad
22:27ng isang
22:27bahay
22:28na bato.
22:30Alam din
22:30natin
22:31kung kailan
22:32hindi.
22:33When the
22:34floor
22:34starts to
22:35crack,
22:36when the
22:37walls
22:37begin to
22:38shift,
22:39and when
22:39leaks
22:40appear,
22:40where
22:41there
22:41should
22:42be
22:42none,
22:43there
22:43and
22:44then,
22:45Mr.
22:45President,
22:47there
22:47and
22:48then,
22:49forthwith,
22:50we say,
22:51this was
22:51not
22:52built
22:53well.
22:55Gayun din
22:55sana
22:55sa impeachment
22:57case na ito,
22:59the cracks
22:59and holes
23:00have begun
23:01to show.
23:03Alam
23:03natin
23:03may mga
23:04tanong
23:05na hindi
23:05pa
23:05nasasagot,
23:07lalo
23:07na patungkol
23:08sa
23:08constitutional
23:09soundness
23:10ng
23:11nasabing
23:11impeachment
23:12complaint.
23:14It is
23:14my humble
23:15opinion
23:16then,
23:16Mr.
23:16President,
23:18that with
23:18this
23:18knowledge
23:19must
23:20come
23:20swift
23:21and
23:21intelligent
23:22action.
23:24Kung
23:24gaano
23:24natin
23:25kabilis
23:25ikundim
23:26at
23:27ipagiba
23:28ang mga
23:29strukturang
23:31hindi
23:31ginawa
23:32ng
23:32maayos,
23:34ganun
23:34din
23:34dapat tayo
23:35kabilis
23:35umaksyon
23:36kung
23:36ang
23:37nalalagay
23:37sa
23:37alanganin
23:38ay
23:38ang
23:39ating
23:39konstitusyon.
23:42In the
23:43spirit
23:43of
23:44true
23:45action,
23:46therefore,
23:47allow me
23:48to end
23:49by
23:49moving.
23:51I
23:51respectfully
23:52move
23:53that in
23:54view
23:54of its
23:56constitutional
23:56infirmities
23:58and
23:59questions
23:59on the
24:00jurisdiction
24:01and
24:02authority
24:02of the
24:0320th
24:04Congress
24:04the
24:05verified
24:06impeachment
24:07complaint
24:07against
24:09Vice
24:10President
24:10Sarah
24:11Zimmerman
24:11Duterte
24:12be
24:12dismissed.
24:15Mr.
24:16President,
24:16since I
24:17have still
24:18the floor,
24:19I would
24:19like
24:19to
24:20call
24:23Senator
24:23Bongo.
24:25Mr.
24:25President,
24:26Mr.
24:26President,
24:27will the
24:27good
24:28gentleman
24:29yield the
24:29floor
24:30for a
24:30few
24:30remarks
24:31as part
24:32of the
24:33privilege
24:33which are
24:33availed
24:34by
24:34Senator
24:35De La
24:35Rosa.
24:36Yes,
24:36Mr.
24:37President,
24:37no problem
24:37with me.
24:38Thank you,
24:38Mr.
24:39President.
24:39Mr.
24:40President,
24:40I agree
24:41with the
24:42speech of
24:43Senator
24:44Bato
24:44De La
24:44Rosa.
24:46Ang gusto
24:46nating
24:47kalabasan
24:48ng paglilitis
24:49na ito
24:49ay
24:49impustisia.
24:51Senator
24:51Go,
24:51before
24:52you
24:52proceed,
24:53Chair
24:53has not
24:54yet
24:54recognized
24:55the
24:55session
24:56is
24:56suspended.
25:03The
25:09time
25:09is
25:11over
25:11to
25:12the
25:12hour
25:12to
25:13resume
25:14to
25:14the
25:15people
25:16in
25:18the
25:18-
25:18to
25:20the
25:20-
25:21to
25:21the
25:21-