Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Monday, Feb. 9, that a constitutionally-mandated process of accountability, such as impeachment, should not be brought down to the same level as personal motives.

“Ang ganyang ka-importanteng constitutional process kasi ng accountability ang isang impeachment, di po dapat binababa nino man sa level lang ng personal motives (An impeachment is such an important constitutional process for accountability that it should not be reduced by anyone to the level of personal motives),” she said in a press conference.

This came after Vice President Duterte questioned the credibility of Akbayan in filing the complaint, citing Hontiveros’ repeated expression of interest in running for president in 2028 and calling the move “politically motivated.”

Duterte is facing two fresh impeachment cases. The second one was endorsed by Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña.

Hontiveros tells VP Sara: Impeachment should not be reduced to personal motives

Duterte is facing two fresh impeachment cases. The second one was endorsed by Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña.

“Kaya palagay ko yung pagbanggit sa eleksyon, in the same breath, wala sa tamang panahon yan, wala sa lugar yun (That is why I think that mentioning the elections, in the same breath, is untimely and out of place). It was really not called for by the question,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said that it was Duterte who mentioned her name in relation to the impeachment complaint, highlighting that the discussion of elections is separate and irrelevant at this stage.

She emphasized that her focus is on her constitutional responsibilities as a senator.

“Para sa akin, salitang impeachment pa lang ang klaro na sa isip ko kung ano yung responsibilidad ko. At nilalagay ko na yung sarili ko sa ganyang frame of mind sa posibilidad ng impeachment trial dito (For me, just the word ‘impeachment’ is already enough for me to be clear about my responsibility. I am already putting myself in that frame of mind for the possibility of an impeachment trial here),” she said.

Hontiveros underscored that as a senator, her role in an impeachment trial would be to weigh evidence and decide based on the Constitution.

She also highlighted that complaints filed by citizens against both the President and the Vice President should be motivated by accountability.

“I think any complaint na i-file ng mga mamamayan, and there have been several against both the President and the Vice President, ang pinakamotibo niyan sa puso niyan should be accountability (I think any complaint filed by the citizens, and there have been several against both the President and the Vice President, should be motivated by accountability at heart)," she said.

"At ganoon ko rin hinahanda yung kalooban ko for us to receive such complaints here in the Senate pag i-transmit man sila ng House na ganoon bilang senator judge (And that is how I am also preparing my mindset to receive such complaints here in the Senate, should they be transmitted by the House, as a senator-judge),” she added.