MANILA, Philippines鈥� The Senate impeachment court has ordered Vice President Sara Duterte to answer the impeachment case filed against her.
Duterte was given a non-extendible period of 10 days to answer from the receipt of writ of summons and the copy of the complaint in accordance with Article 7 of the impeachment rules.
鈥淭he court therefore having been organized and the Articles of Impeachment having been referred thereto hereby issues there writ of summons to Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte who is directed to file her answer within a non-extendible period of 10 days from the receipt of the summons and the copy of the complaint pursuant to Article 7 of the impeachment rules. So ordered,鈥� presiding officer, Senate President Francis鈥滳hiz鈥� Escudero said.
READ: Impeachment court sends Sara Duterte case back to House
The court鈥檚 order came shortly after the majority of senator-judges voted in favor of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano鈥檚 motion to return to the House of Representatives the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte 鈥渨ithout dismissing nor terminating the case, until such time that:鈥�
The House certify to the non-violation of Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that 鈥淣o impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year鈥�; including the circumstances on the filing of the first three impeachment complaints; and (2) The House of the 20th Congress communicate to the Senate that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.
Eighteen of the 23 senator-judges voted in favor of Cayetano鈥檚 motion while only five voted against it.
The five are Senate Minority Leader Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay and Sherwin Gatchalian.
Cayetano鈥檚 motion was an amended to Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� Dela Rosa 鈥檚 original motion to dismiss the case against Duterte.
READ: Dela Rosa moves for dismissal of impeachment case vs Sara Duterte
Dela Rosa claimed that the House circumvented the Constitution with its 鈥渋ntentional inaction鈥� on the first three impeachment complaints lodged against Duterte in December 2024.
Only the fourth impeachment case lodged against Duterte was transmitted to the Senate for trial last February 5.
With the referral of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate committee on rules on Monday, and the issuance of summons to the Vice President, Escudero said the scheduled presentation of the Articles of Impeachment on Wednesday, June 11 would now be rendered 鈥渕oot.鈥�
鈥淭here would be no further action on their part that they can or may take before the court,鈥� the Senate chief said. /cb