A YouTube video claims that the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte has been cancelled after the Senate adjourned last Feb. 5 without discussing the complaint.
This is false. The Senate has not dismissed or cancelled the case against the vice president. It will start the impeachment trial in July after the president’s State of the Nation Address.
Uploaded on Feb. 6, a day after the House of Representatives impeached Duterte, the video’s headline read:
“Matapos MAGDIWANG ang KONGRESO| IMPEACHMENT kay VP SARA, KANSELADO NA?| Sen JOEL TINAPOS ang LABAN?!
(After Congress celebrated | Impeachment of VP Sara is cancelled? | Sen Joel ended the fight?!)”
Its thumbnail also bore the text: “KATING-KATI MAUPO? SENADO DINEDMA IMPEACHMENT NI VP. SEN. JOEL RUMESBAK!? SENADO, TINENGGA ANG IMPEACHMENT TRIAL KAY VP SARA (Excited to be in power? Senate ignored the impeachment of the VP. Sen. Joel fought back!? Senate stalled the impeachment trial of VP Sara)!”
In a Feb. 10 press conference, Senate President Francis Escudero said the actual impeachment trial will start after the president’s fourth State of the Nation Address on July 21.
Escudero emphasized that Duterte’s trial cannot commence while Congress is on break as they have not convened as an impeachment court before going on recess.
However, he said that other preparations for the proceedings such as the verification of signatures on the complaint, and the reviewing and drafting of new Senate rules on the impeachment can already begin.
Sen. Joel Villanueva, who was mentioned in the incorrect post, told reporters that the impeachment complaint will have to undergo a tedious process before a trial can begin, adding that he would not request a special session to expedite the proceedings.
The video narrator also incorrectly claimed at the 1:04 mark that the Senate has no more sessions left.
“Walang oras ang Senado para dinggin ang impeachment trial kay VP Sara. Unang una na rito, wala ng sesyon ang Senado at wala na ring tao na magkakaroon ng partisipasyon sa impeachment nito
(The Senate has no time to hear the impeachment trial of VP Sara. First and foremost, the Senate has no more sessions and there are no people who will participate in her impeachment).”
This is not true. According to the Senate calendar, its third regular session for the 19th Congress will resume on June 2 and adjourn sine die on June 14 before the 20th Congress begins.
The House impeached Duterte with 215 representatives signing the complaint, way more than the required one-third of its members.
The first vice president in Philippine history to have been impeached, Duterte is facing charges of graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes, including bribery and conspiracy to commit murder.
Uploaded by YouTube channel Showbiz Fanaticz, the video received 168,003 interactions. Facebook users also posted the link.
