After a long-winded session, the Philippine Senate shamelessly reneged on its duty to hold accountable Vice President Sara Duterte for misusing more than Php600 million in her Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF).
For hours, the vast majority of senators gave speeches that were variations of the same theme set down by the Supreme Court — that the articles of impeachment against Sara Duterte were drawn up unconstitutionally — a conclusion erroneously drawn on the basis of wrong facts.
The Senate sought to mollify critics of its decision by saying that the articles of impeachment would merely be archived, and could easily be retrieved should the Supreme Court reverse itself. But the Senate contradicts itself because it also forcefully claimed that the impeachment process has been void from the very start.
The Senate’s shameful decision grants Sara Duterte and all other corrupt politicians new opportunities to steal public funds and commit other acts of corruption. It was an unmistakable and self-serving nod to impunity.
This is not surprising given recent revelations that Senate President Chiz Escudero himself has been responsible for questionable insertions worth Php150 billion into the 2025 budget.
The people demanding accountability refuse to cower in the face of these shameful, shameless and cowardly acts by the judiciary and legislature. We will continue fighting within and outside the halls of parliament until justice and accountability are attained.