Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the Senate is standing by the provisions of the Constitution and rule of law when it voted in favor of heeding the Supreme Court’s decision on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero made this clear when he explained his affirmative vote on Wednesday night (July 6, when the Senate voted to archive the Articles of Impeachment it received from the House of Representatives.

Escudero was one of the 19 senators who voted in favor of archiving the impeachment complaint in deference to the Supreme Court’s ruling, and which the high court said is immediately executory.

“Respect for the rule of law requires all of us to adhere to final or immediately executory court decisions, even when there’s a winner and a loser, to avoid deadlocks and maintain legal order,” Escudero said.

“Respect for the rule of law does not bar disagreeing with court decisions nor from forming our own opinions on the meaning and intent and the letter of the spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

“For the rule of law to prevail, the High Court must act as a compass, and not as a political cheerleader impartially applying the law by calling out violations not swayed by public opinion or political allegiance,” the Senate leader added.

Escudero said those who refuse to accept the SC’s decision with humility even when it has already decided, is not respect: “It is plain arrogance or if at all, a power play.”

“Cherry-picking court rulings destroys the judiciary’s purpose. Disobeying the High Court’s decision is a violation of the law because under our Constitution, decisions of the Supreme Court form part of the law of the land,” he stressed.

The Senate chief quoted the landmark case of Francisco vs House of Representatives, which highlighted the mandate of the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution and the laws of the nation.

Escudero recalled that more than two decades ago, the Francisco ruling dealt with the same issues being tackled today in the case of the vice president but it was celebrated back then.

However, this time around, the High Court is being reprimanded and questioned on its ruling because of the personalities involved and “because the decision is not serving their political agenda.”

“Today the very supremacy of the Supreme Court is being called into question and with it, the very foundation of the rule of law. As Senate President, and as a member of the bar, I will not sit idly by and allow this,” Escudero said during his speech.

“Let today’s verdict be a stern and unequivocal warning to anyone who would dare use the Senate as their personal battering ram to further their personal political ambitions,” he said.

“Let history record that in this moment, we chose the Constitution, we chose the rule of law by defending the integrity of the Supreme Court and maintaining the system of checks and balances under our republican system of government,” he further said.