SENATE CAN RESUME ASAP IMPEACH TRIAL OF MISFIT SARA

After the new Majority Bloc has taken over its leadership and completed its reorganization, the Senate has to immediately revive the impeachment trial of Misfit Sara and reignite the stalled public hearing to enable the Misfit to explain her side on the accusations raised against her. This is the only way to find a closure to the serious allegations in the Articles of Impeachment, which the House of Representatives submitted Feb. 5 to the Senate.

The Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Tito Sotto, can completely ignore the July 25 decision of the Supreme Court declaring as “unconstitutional” the Articles of Impeachment against Misfit Sara. The decision, according to respected legal eagles, which included reputable jurists and academics, does not stand on solid ground because the conclusions were largely based on wrong and erratic basis.

The High Court has commited what could be regarded as judicial overreach when it went out of its way to commit judicial legislation by telling the House of Representatives, a coequal branch of government, on how it could handle best future impeachment cases. The unelected and unelectable members of the Supreme Court even implied that lawmakers lack skill to judge, or even were unqualified to tackle impeachment cases.  

Ergo, the Senate, in reviving the impeachment trial of the Misfit,  does not have to wait for the Supreme Court to decide on the motions of reconsideration (MRs), which the House and two other civil society organizations have submitted days after the High Court’s July 25 decision in their bid to reverse the dubious decision.

It is perfectly correct for the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial of the Misfit because the Senate is constitutionally mandated to proceed with her impeachment trial. The 1987 Constitution mandates the House to prosecute state officials in impeachment cases, while the Senate is mandated to hold public trials.

This could be a reason for the ongoing rumors on possible dynamics that could happen when the Senate resumes its session Monday. Reports said a new realignment could take place to install Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate president, replacing Sotto. But recent reports said there were no confirmations that Pia Cayetano and the Villar siblings – Camille and Mark – will transfer to the Minority Bloc of nine ill reputed senators, who are also called the Duterte Bloc.

Even if it happens, the vote will be 12-12 and if it happens, the status quo will persist, which means Sotto will remain the power. In brief, all talks of a forthcoming new dynamics in the Senate on Monday will remain as just talks. Not much could be expected.

The Majority Bloc has decided to throw its support to Sotto because the senators composing it felt that Tricky Tsis, its erstwhile leader, only led the other half of Congress to a questionable direction, which is to protect Misfit Sara at all costs. They were uncomfortable with Tricky Tsis’s inclination to stop any public hearing that would expose the total lack of mastery of the Misfit in giving her side of the controversy in an open public hearing.

They were inclined to reopen the impeachment trial issue because it is the only way that the Misfit could explain her side and find closure to the controversy. Now that a new majority has taken the leadership, there is no legal impediment for the Senate to initiate the impeachment trial in the soonest time possible.

It will take a single senator to make the motion to revive the impeachment trial and another senator to second the motion. A simple majority of votes would lead to the reopening of the impeachment trial.

The revival of the impeachment trial of Misfit Sara would not impede the congressional probe on the flood control controversy. If and when the independent commission starts its separate probe, the revived public hearing on the impeached vice president would not adversely affect the congressional probes.

The Senate can focus on her impeachment trial, while the House can have its attention in examining the proposed national budget for 2026. The independent commission can look deeply into the massive corruption and misuse of the trillion pesos of state funds related to flood control projects.

Nevertheless, the Senate has to revive the impeachment trial of Misfit Sara and find a closure on the controversial issues raised against her in the Articles of Impeachment. This is a matter of sublime importance, which the Senate cannot ignore.