MANILA—Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero warned against using the Senate as a platform for political agenda, as he voted to respect the Supreme Court’s decision declaring the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.

Escudero, one of the 19 senators who voted to archive the complaint, said the filing violated constitutional provisions against multiple impeachment complaints and the right to due process.

“Respect for the rule of law requires all of us to adhere to final or immediately executory court decisions, even when there’s a winner and a loser, to avoid deadlocks and maintain legal order,” he said. “Respect for the rule of law does not bar disagreeing with court decisions nor from forming our own opinions on the meaning and intent and the letter of the spirit of the Constitution.”

“For the rule of law to prevail, the High Court must act as a compass, and not as a political cheerleader impartially applying the law by calling out violations not swayed by public opinion or political allegiance,” he added.

Escudero said those who refuse to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling are showing “plain arrogance or if at all, a power play.”

“Cherry-picking court rulings destroys the judiciary’s purpose. Disobeying the High Court’s decision is a violation of the law because under our Constitution, decisions of the Supreme Court form part of the law of the land.”

He cited the case of Francisco vs House of Representatives, a Supreme Court ruling more than two decades ago that also tackled the issues raised in the impeachment complaint against the Vice President. He noted the current ruling is being questioned “because the decision is not serving their political agenda.”

“Today the very supremacy of the Supreme Court is being called into question and with it, the very foundation of the rule of law. As Senate President, and as a member of the bar, I will not sit idly by and allow this,” Escudero said.

He also observed that opinions had shifted on how quickly the Senate should act on the complaint and on the role of the Supreme Court.

“At one point, they thought only the High Court was the decider. Now they have turned their backs on the Court when the decision did not go their way. They are now peddling their legal theories, urging our body to substitute their wisdom for that of the Supreme Court’s, even though we are not vested with that power,” he said.

Escudero said the Senate vote showed its commitment to the Constitution and the institutions it created.

He posed several questions to those challenging the ruling:

• “Are you truly for accountability or simply anti-Duterte?”
• “Do you truly respect and want to preserve the Constitution or simply hate the Vice President?”
• “Are you serving the nation’s interest or protecting and pursuing your personal ambitions or agenda?”
• “Are you fighting for truth or are you simply after revenge?”
• “Do you really want a trial or just a conviction?”
• “Do you really believe that we are wrong or do you simply feel entitled and believe that you’re always right?”

“Let today’s verdict be a stern and unequivocal warning to anyone who would dare use the Senate as their personal battering ram to further their personal political ambitions,” he said.

“Let history record that in this moment, we chose the Constitution, we chose the rule of law by defending the integrity of the Supreme Court and maintaining the system of checks and balances under our republican system of government.”