‘RETURN TO SENDER’: Senate Votes to Remand VP Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Case to House of Representatives

By Sherman Calotes | Philippine People's Press 

In a high-stakes session marked by nearly five hours of intense deliberation, the Senate sitting as an impeachment court voted overwhelmingly to return the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives.

By a vote of 18 in favor, 5 against, and zero abstention, the Senate approved the motion to remand the case back to the lower chamber. The move was initiated by Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano, who offered it as an amendment to an earlier motion to dismiss the complaint filed by Senator-Judge Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

The decision came amid legal debates on procedural grounds and questions regarding the completeness of the impeachment case submitted by the House.

Senate President and Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced the final vote count and emphasized that while the Articles are being returned, the impeachment case is not being dismissed outright. “This is not a rejection of the complaint’s merits but a procedural step,” Escudero clarified, noting that it is now up to the House to refile or amend the complaint as necessary.

Senator Cayetano underscored that the move was meant to uphold the integrity of the Senate as an impeachment court. “This remand is a message to our colleagues in the House: we expect a constitutionally sound and complete complaint when it reaches our chamber,” he said.

Among the five who opposed the motion were Senator-Judges Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Sherwin Gatchalian. They argued that the Senate should proceed to trial and give the impeachment process its full course.

Despite the remand, the Senate also ordered the issuance of a writ of summons for Vice President Duterte, signaling that the impeachment court is preparing for further developments.

Legal analysts say the House now faces pressure to reassess the strength and completeness of the complaint it transmitted. Political observers also note that the decision reflects the Senate's cautious approach in handling a politically sensitive case involving one of the country’s top elected officials.

The Vice President’s camp has yet to release a formal statement as of this writing.

The return of the impeachment complaint marks a rare constitutional move and is expected to stir further debate in both chambers of Congress in the coming days.

Philippine People's Press | In Truth We Prevail