Senator Sotto Critiques Senate Remand of Sara Duterte Impeachment

Senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has strongly criticized the Senate impeachment court's decision to remand the impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives, calling the ruling procedurally flawed because senator-judges should not file motions, a role reserved for defense or prosecution counsels. Sotto, drawing from lessons taught by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, emphasized that senator-judges must maintain impartiality and only ask clarifying questions, warning that filing motions compromises their neutrality. Despite the 18-5 Senate vote to return the case to the House, Senate President Francis Escudero defended the move, stating that the impeachment rules do not bar senator-judges from initiating such motions and that the remand is not a dismissal but an opportunity for the prosecution to clarify issues. Sotto suggested that the Senate should learn from this misstep, review the roles and duties of senator-judges, and consider changing their legal advisers, while stressing that the House of the 20th Congress should be consulted as the case originated there. The controversy highlights tensions within the Senate regarding proper impeachment procedures and the balance between legal technicalities and political strategy as the trial against Vice President Duterte remains unresolved. Sotto, who will be joining the 20th Congress and aims to reclaim the Senate presidency, stressed the importance of fairness, good faith, and adherence to constitutional rules in impeachment trials.