The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms has served the writ of summons to the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte on the order of the Impeachment Court.
Senate President (SP) Chiz Escudero, who also acts as the Presiding Judge of the Impeachment Court, tasked House Sergeant-at-Arms Retired Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan to serve it.
According to the Office of the Vice President (OVP), the summons were received at 11:05 am.
Notably, VP Sara was in Malaysia on a personal trip at that time. VP Sara now has a 10-day non-extendable period to give her answers.
Additionally, SP Escudero has formally notified the House of Representatives about returning the impeachment case, and the scheduled reading of the articles of impeachment has been officially canceled.
The decision to return the case was made with 18 senators voting in favor and 5 opposing it.
Escudero clarified that returning the impeachment complaint to the House does not mean the case is dismissed or terminated.
He added that the Senate, acting as the impeachment court, still holds jurisdiction over the case.
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.