June 10 will always be remembered as a day of shame for many members of the Senate.
On the vote of 18-5 – acting as the impeachment court — the senators voted to send the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte back to the House of Representatives.
In the midst of this blatant betrayal of the Constitution, five stood firm for accountability in public service: Aquilino Pimentel III, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Sherwin Gatchalian.
The public should remember the names of the 18 who who tried to delay further Duterte’s impeachment trial: Alan Peter Cayetano, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos, JV Ejercito, Bong Go, Loren Legarda, Robinhood Padilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Raffy Tulfo, and Francis Escudero.
Stronger scorn should be heaped on Villanueva, son of Jesus is Lord church leader Eddie Villanueva, who was caught on a hot mike conniving with Imee Marcos to stop the speech of Hontiveros, who was opposing the latest delaying tactic of those protecting Duterte.
This only underscores the adage that truth cannot be forever suppressed. It will find its way out to the people.
The next day, June 11, the House of Representatives certified that the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte complied with the 1987 Constitution.
Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio said, “In effect, the Order only angered the people without achieving anything substantive for VP Sara.”
What the June 10 session has achieved though was the unmasking of the senators’ true colors. These are some scenes inside the Senate plenary hall before the 18-5 vote was taken. Take note of Villanueva’s moves especially the last photo.
The impeachment trial of Sara Duterte proceeds in the 20th Congress.
