00:00Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to vote yes and explain my vote on the matter before us
00:06and to explain why we compromised today on archiving this very important topic.
00:18But of course, we must always remember that the status quo is that the Senate has no jurisdiction.
00:25So in legal speak, this complaint is null and void.
00:31Last July 25, the Supreme Court rendered a unanimous decision declaring the articles of impeachment
00:36against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional, noting that it is barred by the one-year rule under the Constitution
00:44and that it violates due process.
00:47The merits of this decision are not an issue at issue before us.
00:51The sole question we need to answer is whether the Senate should respect the decision of the Supreme Court.
00:58And I say clearly and emphatically, yes.
01:03The Supreme Court has the ultimate authority to interpret what the Constitution is.
01:09No one, including the Senate, can substitute its opinion over the courts in any matter concerning the Constitution.
01:16And the Constitution itself, in Article 8, Section 1, entrenches the Court's role in interpreting the Constitution
01:24and determining whether there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction
01:33by any branch or instrumentality of the government.
01:37This includes the Senate, even with acting as an impeachment tribunal.
01:43Justice Laurel laid down the doctrine in the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of constitutional issues
01:51in Angara versus Electoral Tribunal, where it was stated that
01:55when the judiciary meditates, mediates, to allocate constitutional boundaries,
02:02it does not assert any superiority over the other departments.
02:08It does not in reality nullify or invalidate an act of the legislature,
02:14but only asserts the solemn and sacred obligation assigned to it by the Constitution
02:19to determine conflicting claims of authority under the Constitution.
02:26At dahil nagdesisyon na po ang Korte Suprema, tungkulin po ng Senado na sundin ang disisyon na ito.
02:34Sumasangayon man tayo o hindi, dahil nangako tayo, bawat isa sa ating mga Senador,
02:39that we will support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines,
02:45that we commit to obeying all laws and legal orders issued by the duly constituted authorities,
02:53na sa oath of office po natin ito.
02:56In staying true to our oath of office,
02:58we must abide by the order of the duly constituted authority
03:02in matters of the Constitution, the Supreme Court.
03:06We must uphold the Constitution.
03:09Thus, the Senate cannot acquire jurisdiction to proceed with the trial,
03:14much less issue a verdict.
03:18Tulad ng sabi ni Senior Associate Justice Leonin,
03:21the impeachment process is a constitutional process,
03:25and although it is also a political process,
03:28it is not isolated from the requirements of the Constitution as a whole.
03:33Kailangan obserbahan ang due process,
03:37ang tama at makatarungang proseso,
03:40bago matanggal sa posisyon ang isang individual.
03:45Habang iginagalang natin ang opinion at pananaw ng bawat isa sa mga importanteng usapin,
03:53kailangan natin igalang,
03:55kilalanin,
03:56at bigyang halaga
03:57ang kakayahan at kaalaman ng mga maestrado ng kataas-taasang hukuman
04:03na binigyan ng kapangyarihan ng ating konstitusyon
04:07bilang huling hukom
04:09na ipaliwanag kung ano ang batas at kahulugan nito
04:13at magdesisyon ng pinal sa isyong ukol sa konstitusyon.
04:17By recognizing the authority of the Supreme Court on the matter,
04:22the Senate does not abandon its mandate and its wisdom
04:25as an independent political body,
04:28nor does it concede or submit to a co-equal branch of the government.
04:35We are simply upholding the rule of law.
04:37At kung susuway tayo sa desisyon ng Supreme Court
04:42sa isang isyong konstitusyonal,
04:45binabaliwala natin ang konstitusyon.
04:48Ito ay magdudulot ng isang krisis
04:50sa ating saligang batas
04:52at lipunan na hindi makakabuti para sa taong bayan.
04:57As a functional society governed by the rule of law,
05:01we must accord our democratic institutions with respect,
05:05value their guidance,
05:06recognize their competence
05:08and cherish their independence.
05:12Mr. President,
05:14pinapatunayan ang desisyon na ito
05:16na makakaasa ang tao na ang due process
05:18ay hindi lang guni-guni
05:20o kasabihan walang katuturan.
05:23Na ang due process
05:24ay para sa lahat
05:25at hindi lang para sa mga kakampi.
05:29Isang patunay na mapabisi presidente man
05:31o ordinaryong Pilipino,
05:34makakasigurado tayo
05:36na ang mga institusyon,
05:38ang Korte Suprema,
05:39at ang Senado
05:40ay handang ipagtanggol,
05:43pahalagahan,
05:44at bantayan
05:45ang ating mga karapatan.
05:48Without the rule of law,
05:50people may act without accountability,
05:53government leaders may act on personal interest,
05:55individual rights can no longer be guaranteed.
05:59Without the rule of law,
06:01there can be no justice,
06:03no order,
06:04and no real democracy.
06:05To end,
06:06I would like to quote
06:07Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Leonen,
06:10who penned the decision.
06:12There is a right way
06:14to do the right thing
06:16at the right time.
06:19This is what the rule of just law means.
06:22This is what fairness
06:24or due process of law means
06:26even for impeachment.
06:28Maraming salamat po.
06:42Dr. Maraming salamat po.
06:58Dr. Maraming salamat po.
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