Pimentel supports Marcos’ hands-off stance on Sara impeachment

Outgoing Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel at the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. | Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Amid all the debates surrounding the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, the silence of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is a welcome development, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Tuesday.

According to Pimentel, the 1987 Constitution states that the President should not have a role in the impeachment process because he himself is impeachable.

“The President should be hands-off in the impeachment case. When we look at Article 11, there is no role of the President in impeachment proceedings. Why? Because the president himself or herself is impeachable,” Pimentel said in Filipino.

READ: Senate remands impeachment case of VP Sara Duterte to House

“He should have no role. This is the proceeding where he can also be the subject of impeachment. He should have absolutely no role. So, my answer to that is, the president has no role. Let’s keep it that way,” her added.

“And I’m glad the president is not commenting on the impeachment,” he added.

READ: Sixteen lawyers defending Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial

Impeachment trial

Pimentel likewise said that should Marcos comment on the impeachment trial of Duterte, “it should not carry any weight” on the “impartial judges” of the Senate impeachment court.

He added that the President cannot also mediate between the House of Representatives and the Senate with regard to the said issue.

“Don’t intervene because, if ever, in the future, the impeachment is concerning the President. And then there is also a deadlock in the House and Senate. Can he also intervene about his or her own case? Hands-off only. The President is hands-off,” he pointed out.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on June 10 that Marcos respects the opinions of various groups on the impeachment of Duterte.

“The President respects every individual’s and every group’s opinion. But again, the President’s main focus is truly on working for the people,” Castro said in a recent Palace briefing.

Complaint

Meanwhile, on May 27, Marcos reiterated that he “didn’t want the impeachment” against Duterte, who was his former ally.

“My allies didn’t file the complaint. And I could not order or tell those who filed the complaint what they should do,” Marcos said.

It was on February 5 when Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives after a total of 215 lawmakers signed an impeachment complaint against her.

Some of the grounds for the said impeachment include culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption.

The Senate impeachment court sent out the writ of summons on June 11, which gave Duterte 10 days to respond to the articles of impeachment sent by the House to the Senate.