By Rodolfo Dacleson II
(June 19, 2025) – House spokesperson Antonio Bucoy blamed the Senate impeachment court for delaying Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial, citing its failure to fulfill its constitutional duty.
Bucoy said the Senate’s approval of a resolution to remand the articles of impeachment back to the House of Representatives caused the delay, not the latter.
“Hindi kami [House of Representatives] ang cause ng delay. ‘Yung kanilang order, ‘yung resolution [Senate Resolution No.987] nila requiring the submission of these two [certifications], ang cause ng delay,” said Bucoy in an interview with One PH’s Sa Totoo Lang on Wednesday.
On June 10, the impeachment court asked the House of Representatives to certify that the one-year bar rule was not violated and that the 20th Congress still supports the complaint.
“Kahit mag-comply kami doon sa una nilang requirement, hindi pa rin kami makaka-comply doon sa second requirement dahil hindi pa nga nako-convene ang 20th Congress,” said Bucoy.
The 20th Congress is set to convene on July 28.
The remarks of Bucoy came after impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol said the lower chamber’s inaction to the remanded complaint could further delay the trial.
ALSO READ: House affirms impeachment case is constitutional, defers accepting remanded raps
Moreover, he argued that the Senate’s order violates inter-parliamentary courtesy, stressing it wasn’t directed at the House prosecution panel but to the lower chamber as an institution.
“Hindi naman kinakailangan ibalik nila ang articles kung hinihingi lang nila ‘yung unang certification,” said Bucoy. “Yung articles of impeachment na trinansmit ng House of Representatives to the Senate which is verified by the 215 congressmen who signed the articles, that is the compliance itself.”
The Senate has yet to start the trial more than four months after receiving the articles of impeachment from the lower chamber.
Legal experts have emphasized that prolonged delays in impeachment proceedings risk undermining public confidence in institutional accountability.
“Once the articles of impeachment have been transmitted to the Senate and received by the Senate, there is now a presumption of legality and regularity. Hindi nila na pwedeng usisain ‘yan,” said Bucoy.
(BR)
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