A partylist lawmaker on Friday called on the Senate to move forward and begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing that it is the Senate’s constitutional duty to do so.
Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon said he sees no legal obstacle to proceeding with the impeachment case.
“It is a constitutional mandate for the Senate to try and decide the impeachment,” Ridon said during The Agenda forum held at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City.
The impeachment complaint against the Vice President stems from the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which she concurrently headed.
Ridon emphasized that the Senate’s role is to conduct the trial — not to entertain preliminary motions such as dismissals.
“The right to file a motion to dismiss is not within the Senate’s mandate,” he said.
While Ridon did not specify an exact timeline, he pointed to the scheduled start of the impeachment trial on 4 August, saying he would not speculate whether it should begin sooner.
He noted that in past impeachment proceedings, such as those involving former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the Senate did not entertain motions to dismiss.
“There was nothing like that during Estrada’s impeachment,” Ridon said.
He also recalled the case of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned even before her impeachment trial began.
According to Ridon, the rules of the Senate impeachment court require a full-blown trial to allow all parties to present their arguments.
“While impeachment is a political process, it is also a legal one,” he explained. “All parties have the right to file motions, but the process must proceed within the bounds of the law.”
Ridon maintained that there is sufficient basis for the impeachment, as established by the House of Representatives.
He cited some of the key allegations in the Articles of Impeachment, including the alleged misuse of confidential funds for purposes not aligned with intelligence-gathering, law enforcement, or national security.
“There were expenses tied to individuals like ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ and alleged threats to the lives of the President and First Lady — very serious claims that warrant a trial,” he said.
Ridon asserted that if these allegations are proven, they are grounds for conviction.
“Vice President Duterte should be tried and convicted. The evidence, if proven in court, is enough,” he added.
Reflecting on the 2012 impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona — during which he served as a neophyte lawyer — Ridon recalled that although there were doubts about whether the Senate would reach a conviction, Corona was ultimately removed from office.
He pointed out that both the House and the Senate operate with autonomy and evolve over time in how they carry out their legislative and judicial functions.
Ridon also noted that in some past cases, impeachable officials resigned before trial, but the implications of those resignations were still deliberated by the courts and parties involved.
He said that should Vice President Duterte be acquitted, she should be allowed to continue her role as the second-highest official in the country.
During the impeachment process, documents such as Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), bank records, and transaction histories can be requested from the impeached official — but the Senate impeachment court may decide whether or not to grant such requests.
On 5 February, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Vice President Duterte, with 215 lawmakers supporting the adoption of the Articles of Impeachment. She stands accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes related to the alleged misuse of over P600 million in confidential and intelligence funds.