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Saturday, July 5, 2025
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Ex-PH Bar Association head: VP Sara impeachment should start immediately

Former Philippine Bar Association president, lawyer Rico Domingo, said in a live-streamed radio interview on Friday morning that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should proceed immediately.

“Not to oppose our senators, they may have a different view of the matter, but what we have to do now is recall what happened. Last February 5, there was a forwarding of the Articles of Impeachment. That would actually be the event that would give the Senate the jurisdiction to try the impeachment. So, according to Article XI of the Constitution, a trial should proceed forthwith,” Domingo said.

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“Let’s look at its dictionary meaning, and I’ve looked at it again and again. The word forthwith means ‘immediately’ under Black’s Law Dictionary, which is a Bible among the lawyers and even the legislators,” he added.

The lawyer added that the jurisdiction has already been lodged.

“Meaning, the jurisdiction is with the Senate. The Senate, acting as the trial court, will be the one to judge under the Constitution. [The House of Representatives] has already initiated the impeachment and forwarded the Articles of Impeachment. Now, the ones who should try the accused in the impeachment are the Senate as senator-judges,” Domingo said.

Asked about the issue of whether the impeachment can cross over from the 19th to the 20th Congress, he explained that impeachment is of “American origin” and recalled the case of former US President Bill Clinton.

“Clinton was impeached in December 1998 by the 105th Congress of America. Then, when the 106th Congress came, that took over, and they (the new Congress) convened in 1999. They proceeded with Clinton’s impeachment for perjury and obstruction of justice, and finished in February [1999],” Domingo said, adding that the Senate is a continuing jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the lawyer said there is no basis for Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s draft resolution seeking the “de facto dismissal” of the impeachment trial.

“Let’s give him the attention. Maybe the reason he’s saying those things is because no one’s paying attention to him. So let’s give him attention, but still say ‘that’s just your opinion,'” Domingo said.

Asked regarding the statement of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on the resolution having to go through the court instead of being discussed as a legislative body, the lawyer said: “If that’s what was said, and the numbers would prevail for the adjudication of the resolution saying ‘it is dismissed,’ then we might have a People Power [revolution].”

“We remember what happened in People Power II when the senators walked out. It was clear what the pulse of the nation was,” he concluded. — Janos Barbero (Intern)

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