Philippines Senate Archives VP Sara Duterte Impeachment Amid Supreme Court Appeals

The Philippine Senate voted to archive the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared the impeachment complaint unconstitutional and void from the start. While 19 senators supported archiving the case to await the Supreme Court's final resolution, four senators, including Minority Leader Kiko Pangilinan, opposed this move, arguing it was premature since the House of Representatives' Motion for Reconsideration was still pending. The House leadership condemned the Senate's decision as a betrayal of constitutional accountability and asserted that archiving the complaint effectively buries the case despite ongoing judicial proceedings. Opposition lawmakers and figures like Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña and Chel Diokno criticized the Senate for abandoning its constitutional mandate and accused it of enabling alleged crimes by Vice President Duterte. Senate President Francis Escudero noted that the case could be revived if the Supreme Court reverses its ruling. The controversy highlights a deep division between the Senate and House on handling the impeachment, with concerns about the impact on democratic accountability and the rule of law.