Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor is confident that neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate will accept attempts from signatories to withdraw their support from the impeachment complaint lodged against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Defensor, one of the 11 solon-prosecutors in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial against Duterte, had this to say Monday, May 19, amid rumors that some House members were getting cold feet about the complaint.

“Maaaring may magsubok niyan, pero hindi ko nakikitang papayagan pa ‘yan ng Kongreso, lalo na ng Senado. Hindi rin maganda ‘yon para kayong nagbalimbing sa sarili ninyong impeachment complaint,” he said.

(Someone might attempt that, but I don’t see Congress—especially the Senate—allowing it. It wouldn’t look good either, as it would be like turning your back on your own impeachment complaint.)

A least 215 House members signed the impeachment complaint against the Vice President last Feb. 5. It has taken months for the actual Senate impeachment trial to start 

However, it appears to be all systems go for the hearings in July, when the newly-elected 12 senators from the May 12 polls will have already taken their seats in the upper chamber.

Ultimately, Defensor said, proceeding with the impeachment trial is the only way to bring closure to the controversy.

“Mas magandang matuloy na ito, matapos, at may closure ang Pilipinas. Kung sasabihin ng senator-judges natin na walang kasalanan ang Vice President, napakadaling tanggapin ‘yun ng mga miyembro ng Kongreso at katunggali niya. Pero kung may pananagutan siya, dapat ring tanggapin ang desisyon,” he said.

(It’s better for this to proceed, to get finished, and bring closure to the Philippines. If our senator-judges declare that the Vice President is innocent, Congress members and even his opponents can easily accept that. But if he is found accountable, the decision must also be accepted.)

The seven articles of impeachment against Duterte are as follows:

Article 1: Conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez; 

Article 2: Malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds;

Article 3: Bribery and corruption in Department of Education (DepEd);

Article 4: Unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets; 

Article 5: Involvement in extrajudicial killings (EJK);

Article 6: Destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder; and

Article 7: The totality of respondent's conduct as Vice President.