The pro-Duterte vs pro-people senators

In the impeachment proceedings or in the Senate deliberations on the impeachment of the vice president, the nation has confirmed our initial prognosis on who among our 24 senators are for the people and who are for vice president Sara Duterte. We have confirmed who are for pure technicality and who are for substance.

Just as we suspected, form won over substance. The Senate, by a historic vote of 19 - 4 - 1 has allowed the letter of the law to prevail over the spirit of the Constitution. Remember this always in 2028 and in all elections henceforth: only Senators Tito Sotto, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan and Panfilo Lacson stood for people over political convenience, stood for principles over expediency. All the rest are "nothing but second rate, trying hard copycats," trying to mimic a trapo Rodante Marcoleta who dominated the discussion as if he speaks "ex-cathedra."

From the very beginning, we have been convinced beyond any shade of doubt that the following senators will never vote against the vice president, come hell or high water, and thus will never allow the impeachment to even commence, now or after February 6, 2026: Senators Christopher Go, Ronald de la Rosa, Robinhood Padilla and Rodante Marcoleta. To them, you can add, the presidential sister who is moved by too much antagonism against her own first degree cousin, the Speaker. Senator Imee's unabashed defense for the Dutertes was rewarded by the Mindanao bloc of votes that saved her fledgling last senatorial bid.

These are the neo-trapos in the Senate, whose senatorial destiny was made possible only due to the Duterte push. I dare say that without the Duterte solid block of rabid supporters these senators would not win over more qualified candidates like former senator Francis Tolentino and former DILG secretary Benhur Abalos. These members of the Upper Chamber, I can bet my last cent, will always go for the side that favors the Dutertes. These are the senators who will stick with the Duterte faction, whether right, wrong, good or bad or even ugly.

To them, we can add the two Villar siblings, Mark and Camille, two senators from one family coming from a small city of Las Piñas and who have a gargantuan business empire to protect. They have looked forward to 2028 when they predict the vice president replacing BBM. Senator Mark chairs Public Works and Camille chairs Energy. No Conflict of interest, huh? Add to them also the two Estrada/Ejercito brothers, the good one and the smarter one from the tiny constituency of San Juan whose number of voters is smaller than Barangay Guadalupe of Cebu City.

Then the Tulfo brothers who are well-known for scolding career public officials via national television while attending as resource persons in legislative investigations in aid of legislation. Of course, the two lawyers, brother and sister from the small city of Taguig and the tiny town of Pateros, the Cayetano siblings who are UP and Ateneo graduates respectively. They are masters of art and science of law and have sworn their respect for the Constitution and obedience to the Supreme Court. Senator Alan even dared the people: if you do not like the vice president, just beat her for the presidency in 2028. Wow.

Our greatest disappointments were the Yes votes of Senators Loren Legarda, Win Gatchalian, Migz Zubiri and Joel Vilanueva. These well-intentioned legislators have decided to follow that path of least resistance. They have conveniently joined the bandwagon of Chiz Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada. Well, they have found a very credible-sounding justification, to obey the Supreme Court and to uphold the fundamental law.

The bottomline is that I have lost my trust and confidence in the Senate as an institution and most especially the Senate president. The only saving grace was that the decision by both the Supreme Court and the Senate revealed the true characters of the senators. Now, the lines are drawn. The die is cast. The Rubicon has been crossed. We now know who is real and who is not genuine.