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Advocates Philippines
Garin: No Reason To Leave Impeachment Unfinished
Photo credit: House of Representatives of the Philippines
Deputy Speaker Janette Garin on Wednesday said Filipinos deserve clear answers and a proper resolution to the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing that ongoing legal disputes in the Senate should not prevent the constitutional process from moving forward.
Garin made the statement as questions continue to surround a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking to overturn recent leadership changes in the Senate.
The petition, filed by a group led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, asks the High Court to issue a status quo ante order that would restore the Senate leadership and committee assignments to their positions before June 3.
Petitioners argued that Supreme Court intervention is needed to prevent what they described as “mob rule” and to bring back institutional stability amid the leadership dispute.
Despite the legal challenge, Garin said government institutions can continue performing their constitutional duties.
“We should not confuse legal disagreement with constitutional paralysis,” Garin said.
She emphasized that the Supreme Court, the Senate, and the House of Representatives each have separate responsibilities under the Constitution and can carry out those duties independently.
“The Supreme Court has its role. The Senate has its role. The House has fulfilled its role and is ready to prosecute its case before whomever holds the gavel of the impeachment court. Each institution can perform its constitutional duty without undermining the others. That is how a functioning democracy works,” she said.
For Garin, the focus should remain on the evidence and the truth rather than on political disputes surrounding the process.
“What the public wants is simple: let the evidence be presented, let the defense respond, and let the truth come out,” she said.
The Iloilo lawmaker also warned that prolonged delays could do more damage to public trust than allowing the trial to proceed.
“The greatest threat to public confidence is not a trial. It is the perception that accountability can be postponed indefinitely,” she said.
Garin noted that the impeachment proceedings have already taken a long time to reach the trial stage and said the public deserves to see the process completed.
“There is no excuse to leave the process unfinished,” Garin said.
“The greater danger to public confidence is not that the trial proceeds. The greater danger is if legitimate constitutional processes are endlessly delayed or left hanging and important questions are never answered,” Garin said.
She added that Filipinos deserve a definitive outcome grounded in facts, evidence, and the rule of law.
“The Filipino people deserve closure. They have already waited a long time for this process to reach trial, for questions to be answered, and for the process to be followed through to its full conclusion,” Garin said.
“The Filipino people deserve a resolution based on evidence and law,” Garin added.
Garin made the statement as questions continue to surround a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking to overturn recent leadership changes in the Senate.
The petition, filed by a group led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, asks the High Court to issue a status quo ante order that would restore the Senate leadership and committee assignments to their positions before June 3.
Petitioners argued that Supreme Court intervention is needed to prevent what they described as “mob rule” and to bring back institutional stability amid the leadership dispute.
Despite the legal challenge, Garin said government institutions can continue performing their constitutional duties.
“We should not confuse legal disagreement with constitutional paralysis,” Garin said.
She emphasized that the Supreme Court, the Senate, and the House of Representatives each have separate responsibilities under the Constitution and can carry out those duties independently.
“The Supreme Court has its role. The Senate has its role. The House has fulfilled its role and is ready to prosecute its case before whomever holds the gavel of the impeachment court. Each institution can perform its constitutional duty without undermining the others. That is how a functioning democracy works,” she said.
For Garin, the focus should remain on the evidence and the truth rather than on political disputes surrounding the process.
“What the public wants is simple: let the evidence be presented, let the defense respond, and let the truth come out,” she said.
The Iloilo lawmaker also warned that prolonged delays could do more damage to public trust than allowing the trial to proceed.
“The greatest threat to public confidence is not a trial. It is the perception that accountability can be postponed indefinitely,” she said.
Garin noted that the impeachment proceedings have already taken a long time to reach the trial stage and said the public deserves to see the process completed.
“There is no excuse to leave the process unfinished,” Garin said.
“The greater danger to public confidence is not that the trial proceeds. The greater danger is if legitimate constitutional processes are endlessly delayed or left hanging and important questions are never answered,” Garin said.
She added that Filipinos deserve a definitive outcome grounded in facts, evidence, and the rule of law.
“The Filipino people deserve closure. They have already waited a long time for this process to reach trial, for questions to be answered, and for the process to be followed through to its full conclusion,” Garin said.
“The Filipino people deserve a resolution based on evidence and law,” Garin added.
Jun 17, 2026
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