Two senators on Wednesday, August 6 reiterated their belief the Senate should respect the Supreme Court’s decision on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

VICE President Sara Duterte (FB)

“My position to respect and not disobey the Supreme Court ruling on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has not changed, and will not change for the same reason which I stated earlier,” Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said.

But Lacson said he has read the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives through Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe.

“And I would say I am in agreement with my legal staff and other legal observers that it was very well-written and argued why the Court should take a second look at the case at bar,”  said Lacson, a member of the Senate minority bloc.

“As for the impending Senate debate on this issue, it is best to exercise prudence and wait for the Supreme Court to rule with finality,” he said.

Sen. Imee Marcos, meanwhile said the Senate or the Impeachment Court cannot simply choose which part of the decision of the SC it will comply with.

“The SC said immediately executory. If we subscribe to the view that we should wait the resolution of the motion for reconsideration (MRs), then we would not be respecting the ‘immediately executory’ portion of the decision,” Marcos said.

“Worse, we will be reducing the decision to a mere TRO (temporary restraining order) or Status quo ante order which is not the intent of the SC,” she said.

Marcos also said it is highly unlikely that a unanimous SC decision would be overturned based on a motion for reconsideration.

“And even if a decision is affirmed, what is the guarantee there would be no second motion for reconsideration? Maybe by the time all MRs are resolved it would be past February 6,” she said.

Meanwhile, as senators discuss the SC ruling during their 3 p.m. plenary session, several groups rallied in front of the Senate building in Pasay City holding placards and banners pressing for the continuation of the impeachment proceedings against the vice president.

Earlier, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa disclosed that the so-called “Duterte bloc”  will likely vote in favor of possible motions to dismiss the impeachment trials during the Senate’s deliberation of the issue.

The Duterte bloc is composed of Dela Rosa, Marcos, Senators Christopher “Bong” Go, Rodante Marcoleta and Robinhood “Robin” Padilla.