ROB RANCES: ON REMAND

11 June Wednesday

The Senate didn’t delay the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte. They rescued the Constitution from being used as a blunt political weapon.

And in doing so, they didn’t just pause a proceeding—they handed the House of Representatives, and Speaker Martin Romualdez himself, a reality check signed by the rule of law.

I. THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL THAT COLLAPSED ON ITS OWN WEIGHT

Here’s the truth:

The fourth impeachment complaint filed against the Vice President might have looked like a show of strength.

But constitutionally?

It was already dead on arrival.

Three complaints had already been filed in 2024. The Constitution is clear—you cannot file more than one within a 12-month period.

This isn’t about political loyalty.

It’s about legal clarity.

And when the Senate reviewed the complaint, they did the one thing the House failed to do: They actually read the Constitution.

II. THE HOUSE WASN’T STOPPED—THEY WERE CAUGHT

Let’s be blunt: this wasn’t a rejection of accountability. It was a rejection of political manipulation dressed as justice.

Speaker Romualdez and his allies tried to rush a fourth complaint, hoping nobody would notice the one-year bar rule.

They underestimated the Senate.

And they underestimated the public.

Because what the Senate did wasn’t just procedural—it was a national service.

They stopped a faulty case from tainting the entire institution.

III. THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT JUSTICE. IT WAS ABOUT CONTROL.

If this was truly about public interest, the House would’ve ensured the complaint was airtight.

Instead, they gambled.

They forced a fourth complaint—then acted shocked when it backfired.

Let’s be honest:

This wasn’t about due process.

This was about power consolidation.

And when the Senate demanded legal clarity, the entire narrative began to fall apart.

Now, Sara’s camp isn’t hiding.

They’re standing beside the Constitution.

And Romualdez’s camp?

They’re standing on shaky legal ground.

IV. WHEN INSTITUTIONS PLAY GAMES, THE PEOPLE PAY THE PRICE

This moment exposed something far more dangerous than partisan politics.

It revealed how fragile our democratic tools become when handled by those more interested in power plays than nation-building.

The Constitution is not a prop.

Impeachment is not a toy.

And public trust is not a tool for reelection strategies.

V. TO THE SENATE: YOU DID YOUR JOB. DON’T LOSE THAT COURAGE.

By returning the Articles of Impeachment to the House, the Senate didn’t kill the process.

They demanded that it be done right.

They reminded all of us that form matters. Process matters. The Constitution matters.

And if the House can’t even respect the one-year rule, they have no business filing anything—let alone attempting to remove a sitting Vice President.

 👊 POWER PUNCH 

Sara Duterte didn’t stop the trial. The law did.

The House didn’t get blocked. They got exposed.

And the Senate? For once—they remembered who they were.

So to every Filipino watching:

This isn’t just about one trial.

It’s about who still respects the system—and who’s trying to rig it.

And we’re watching.

OPINION | BY ROB RANCES