Archived

SKETCHES

- ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

Can you resurrect an impeachment complaint from the Senate archives?

Yes, you can, although with difficulty, according to senators. Retrieving it from cold storage will require fresh deliberations and another vote, by the same folks who voted 19-4-1 to "archive" the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Senate President Francis Escudero has said that archiving is not the same as an outright dismissal of the case. But he expressed the sentiment of his anti-impeachment colleagues who believe the push to remove VP Sara is fueled more by politics than concern for accountability.

Since impeachment emanates from the House of Representatives, of course it is a political exercise. But the anti-impeachment senators are focused on one particular politician, Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Duterte diehard supporters and the pro-DDS senators have made no secret of their suspicion that the impeachment is merely an attempt by Romualdez to eliminate a formidable rival in the 2028 presidential race, or even replace her as VP in case she is ousted.

Even Romualdez's cousin Sen. Imee Marcos said on the Senate floor that congressmen should consider replacing their Speaker. Yesterday, amid angry reactions from the House, she said it was merely a suggestion and the pro-Romualdez choir should chill.

Whether the senators will vote to revive the archived case is another story.

This will depend on whether Supreme Court justices will acknowledge what certain quarters have pointed out as factual mistakes, and reverse their unanimous ruling declaring that the House violated the Constitution in its impeachment of the VP.

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who spearheaded the move to dismiss the complaint outright in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling, is supremely confident that the SC will not reverse itself.

But minority senators have pointed out that a reversal wouldn't be a first for the SC.