Speaker Martin Romualdez described as "deeply concerning" the senator-judges' move to return the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte to its origin, the House of Representatives.
"The decision of the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to return the articles of impeachment is deeply concerning," Romualdez said in plenary on Wednesday night, June 11 during his closing speech for the 19th Congress.
"These articles were transmitted by this chamber in accordance with the Constitution, and with the overwhelming support of 215 members who answered the people’s call for accountability," noted the House leader.
Voting 18-5, the Senate decided on Tuesday to return the articles of impeachment to the House so it could be ceritified as compliant with the 1987 Constitution.
Seemingly in response to some senators' allegations against the complaint, Romualdez said: "The House of Representatives acted not out of haste, but with deliberate care. We followed the law. We honored our mandate. And above all, we stood for what the Filipino people deserve — a government that answers to its citizens."
"This is not a political exercise. This is a constitutional duty. That is why we will continue to move forward — respectfully, but resolutely," underscored Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president.
At any rate, Romualdez said the House would comply with the impeachment court's orders.
"We shall comply with the requirements of the impeachment court, not to abandon our cause, but to ensure the process continues. Because in matters of truth and accountability, the house does not back down."
Earlier in Wednesday's session, the House adopted a motion to defer acceptance of the articles of impeachment "until such time that the Senate sitting as an impeachment court responded to the clarificatory queries raised by the panel of prosecutors relative to the remand of the subject articles".
A total of 11 House members serve as prosecutors in the impeachment case, while the 23 senators are the judges.
Duterte is the first vice president to be impeached in the country’s history. The House first submitted the articles of impeachment against the lady officials on Feb. 5.