 |
| Cayetano takes oath, witnessed by family members |
Senators toppled Tito Sotto on Monday, May 11, as Senate President and replaced him with Alan Peter Cayetano in a coup that finally succeeded after failing several times, as the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
Cayetano sought to allay concerns that the Senate reorganization
was aimed at aborting the impeachment trial, assuring that the Senate will
convene as an impeachment court “forthwith”. He did not elaborate on when the
actual trial will begin.
In a statement, Duterte’s legal team said it is “fully
prepared” to face the Senate trial as “the burden now rests on the accusers to
substantiate their claims in accordance with the Constitution, the law, and
rules on evidence.”
 |
| . |
This came after one of the 13 who supported Cayetano, Sen.
Ronald Bato de la Rosa, broke his six-month absence from the Senate just to
vote, which almost did not happen when he was blocked by agents of the National
Bureau of Investigation on his way to the session hall.
Dela Rosa scuffled with the NBI agents and ran upstairs, pursued
by the agents who were trying to serve on him the arrest warrant issued by the International
Criminal Court in The Hague, as a co-perpetrator of former President Rodrigo Duterte
in his trial for crimes against humanity. Also tagged as co-perpetrator Duterte’s
extrajudicial killings was Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
Dela Rosa complained that he hurt a finger when he stumbled as
he scrambled up the stairs. On his motion, the Senate voted to cite the nine agents
in contempt but Cayetano released them later to NBI director Melvin Matibag, in
return for NBI respecting the Senate’s protective custody over Dela Rosa.
 |
| Basahin ang detalye! |
Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was also on hand to serve
the warrant as challenged to do so by Dela Rosa in the past, but but they did not cross paths.
The other senators who cast their votes for Cayetano were Imee
Marcos, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Robin
Padilla, Joel Villanueva, Pia Cayetano, Mark Villar, Camille Villar, Loren
Legarda, and Sotto, who extended traditional parliamentary courtesy to his
rival.
The nine who supported Sotto were Bam Aquino, Sherwin
Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy
Tulfo, Ping Lacson and Cayetano, who similarly cast a courtesy vote.
Senators JV Ejercito and outgoing majority leader Juan
Miguel Zubiri abstained.
The Senate reorganization has also resulted in Legarda taking over as president pro-tempore, replacing Lacson, who may also be replaced as chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.
.jpeg)
