Senator Risa Hontiveros vowed to continue pushing for accountability despite the Senate’s decision to archive the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The impeachment articles were officially shelved after a 19-4 vote by senators, following the Supreme Court’s declaration that the complaint was unconstitutional.
In an interview, Hontiveros admitted she was disappointed by the result of the vote but said that it would not stop her and other lawmakers from pursuing their duty to hold public officials accountable.
“I am saddened by the outcome, but we will not stop fighting for accountability,” she said.
The senator urged the public not to lose hope or assume that the Senate will no longer act on the matter. She emphasized that the principles of accountability will remain central to their work moving forward.
The Supreme Court had earlier ruled the impeachment complaint invalid, prompting allies of the vice president in the Senate to support a motion by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to archive the case. A separate motion by Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III to postpone the deliberation was defeated in a 19-5 vote.
Despite the dismissal, opposition senators like Hontiveros are expected to explore other avenues to investigate and call out alleged wrongdoing by public officials.
No further statements were released from the vice president’s office as of this writing.
