By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
SAN JUAN CITY – Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. James Mark “Terry” L. Ridon on Friday (July 18) said that the Senate Impeachment Court should try and decide on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The impeachment of Vice President Duterte stemmed from the alleged illegal use of PHP612.5-million Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF) in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In The Agenda Media Forum at the Club Filipino hosted by Atty. Siegfred “Fred” Mison and Pastor Gary Gslvez, Rep. Ridon said that he does not think that there is an impediment in the impeachment of Vice President Sara.
“it is a constitutional mandate on the part of the Senate to try and decide the impeachment of the Vice President,” Ridon said.
He noted that there are many things that may happen. “The right to make motions such as the motion to dismiss is not within the mandate of the Senate,” he said.
Ridon would not dwell whether on “the forthwith” whether or six months such that on August 4, 2025 the Senate Impeachment Court will begin the impeachment trial of the Vice President.
He does not think that there had been a motion to dismiss during the previous impeachment proceedings in the history of the Senate Impeachment Court.
“There was nothing like that as far back as the impeachment of Estrada (former President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada),” Ridon said.
He cited the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned from her post even before the impeachment proceedings against her starts.
“The Senate Impeachment Court rules provide that there should be a full-blown trial,” Ridon said.
He added that all the parties in the impeachment trial have the right to file a motion.
“inasmuch as it is a political proceeding, it is also a legal proceeding,” Ridon said.
He stressed that it is not that there was no basis why the Vice President was impeached by the House of Representatives and is now standing impeachment trial before the Senate Impeachment Court.
Ridon cited the CIF beneficiaries such as “Mary Grace Piattos, the threats on the lives of the President and the First Lady, which really are very strong allegations in the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte.
He said that the use of the CIF should be aligned on intelligence gathering, law enforcement and national security matters, but not on civilian purposes.
As Bicol Saro Party-list representative, Ridon stressed that one of their priority agenda are to call for a high-speed rail in Bicol as it is one of the poorest regions in the country, which will generate more jobs and establish new businesses in the region.
“Vice President Duterte should be tried and convicted. It is basically enough to convict the Vice President after a full-blown trial,” Ridon said.
During the Corona impeachment trial, Ridon was then a new lawyer, he noted that they (Senators) were not to convict Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona as there were not enough numbers, but he was still impeached and removed from office.
He noted that the Senate and the Congress (House of Representatives) are not “static” and they have their own respective way of performing their legislative duties and functions.
Ridon said that there were previous impeachment proceedings where the impeachable official resigned, but the implications and impact of such a resignation were still tackled and discussed by the parties in the case.
If Vice President Duterte is acquitted, Ridon said she should continue to perform the duties and functions as the second highest official of the land.
During the impeachment trial, the SALNs (Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Networth), the bank accounts, the deposits and withdrawals can be requested from the impeached official, but the Senate Impeachment Court can deny such a request.
On the possibility that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will issue a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Ridon said that the cooperation of the Philippine government with the Interpol (International Police Organization) would not change as clarified by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin.
“The ‘one-year bar rule’ would only ‘kick in’ or apply on the fourth impeachment complaint such that the first, second and third impeachment complaints did not meet the requirements of the ‘Francisco case’, which was to prevent ‘harassment’,” Ridon said.
He added that they respect the “limited window” or “limited power’ of the Supreme Court when it comes to “judicial overreach”.
“Irrespective of public opinion, the Senate should try and decide on the impeachment complaint against the Vice President,” Ridon said. ###
