The House of Representatives is set to reconvene on Wednesday to chart its next steps after the Senate threw a curveball, voting to return the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte back to the lower chamber.
On Tuesday evening, 18 senators backed a motion to send the case back, effectively pausing proceedings and placing the spotlight squarely back on the House.
Now, lawmakers in the lower chamber must reaffirm that they followed constitutional procedures and decide whether to push forward with the impeachment case once newly elected members officially assume office on June 30.
For House impeachment prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor, the Senate’s move wasn’t just procedural—it was a direct affront to democracy.
“The Senate set a dangerous precedent. This was a blatant breach of duty and public trust,” Defensor said.
He criticized the Senate’s decision as an “illegal compromise,” saying the Constitution does not allow for an impeachment case to be remanded. “It’s either conviction or acquittal after trial—nothing in between. This was a clear violation of our Constitution and democracy,” he stressed.
Defensor confirmed that House lead prosecutor Congressman Marcelino Libanan, alongside other impeachment prosecutors, would hold a press conference to outline their course of action following the Senate’s decision.
Backing Defensor’s statement, Act Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro didn’t mince words, calling the Senate’s move “unconstitutional” and dismissing it as an attempt to stall the process.
“There is no such procedure. Once the articles of impeachment are verified and received by the Senate, all that’s left is to proceed to trial. They have no business sending it back. Jurisdiction lies with them now. What they did is absurd and laughable,” Castro said.
She accused senators of deliberately delaying the impeachment trial. “They’re dribbling the ball as much as they can, using every tactic to stall the proceedings,” she added.
When asked who the Senate might be protecting, Castro hinted at political shielding but stopped short of naming names. “From the start, the Senate has been protecting someone—not just Escudero. They’re doing it at the expense of accountability,” she said.
To show solidarity and resolve, the House plans to hold a mass later in the afternoon to send off the impeachment prosecutors as they prepare to continue the fight.