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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Hay salamat': ex quad-comm chief Barbers glad Senate impeachment court has convened

'Hay salamat': ex quad-comm chief Barbers glad Senate impeachment court has convened

Published May 19, 2026 04:33 pm

At A Glance

  • Former congressman Robert Ace Barbers welcomes the Senate's convening as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte, expressing confidence in its fairness and impartiality.
  • Barbers says the trial allows Duterte's camp to present evidence, noting her claim that only an impartial impeachment court could properly hear her defense.
  • As ex‑chair of the House quad committee in the 19th Congress, Barbers underscores that senator‑judges must prioritize the country's interest and accountability, with the people deserving to see the evidence themselves.
Former Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (PPAB)
Former Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (PPAB)


The former overall chairman of the vaunted House quad committee (quad-comm) during the previous 19th Congress is 'thankful' that the Senate has convened into an impeachment court on the case of respondent Vice President Sara Duterte.
Robert Ace Barbers, ex-Surigao del Norte 2nd district congressman, expressed his full trust and confidence in the newly convened impeachment court.
“I am thankful that Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano convened the Senate into an Impeachment Court forthwith, putting a stop to the discordant noise and speculations that the Senate will delay the constitutionally mandated proceedings," Barbers said in a statement Tuesday, May 19, a day after the convening of the court.
More importantly, he said the development gives the camp of the Vice President the chance to participate and present their evidence to counter the charges.
He went as far to claim that the convening of the impeachment court was the lady official's "dream come true".
"The Vice President has consistently claimed that the proceedings in the House of Representatives were not fair and that she will only answer the charges before an impartial impeachment court, making this trial absolutely imperative," said Barbers.
"We are looking forward to their promised participation,” said the member of the famed "Spice Boys".
It was during the gripping, must-watch marathon hearings of the quad-comm in 2024 to 2025 that issues on the alleged interconnected issues of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), extrajudicial killings (EJKs), money-laundering, illegal drugs, and former president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs were brought to the fore.
The highest profile witness or resource person who attended the quad-comm hearings was ex-president Duterte himself. The elder Duterte is the impeachment respondent's father.
“All eyes are now focused on the Cayetano court and we trust that a fair and impartial trial will be conducted and that the Senator-Judges will decide the matter based on the strength or weakness of the evidence presented," Barbers said.
He says that although the impeachment trial is political, he is hopeful that the interest of the country will be the senator-judges' paramount consideration in handing out their verdict.
"As former President Manuel Quezon said, ‘My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins,’” Barbers said.
“More than the impeachment court, it is the people who deserve to hear and see the evidence for themselves. It is their right to make sure that their elected leaders who presented themselves as qualified public servants are serving them truly, truthfully, honestly and faithfully,” he added.

Related Tags

Impeachment senate Sara Duterte Robert Ace Barbers quad-comm
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