MAP voices concern over move to return VP Sara's impeachment case to House

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) expressed its concern Wednesday over the decision of the Senate, sitting as n impeachment court, to return the articles of impeachment against VIce President Sara Duterte back to the House of Representatives.

“We believe that the Senate has a constitutional duty to conduct , without any delay or disruption, the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Abandoning this mandate undermines the integrity of our democratic processes,” it said.

The statement was released after the impeachment court, on Tuesday evening, voted to return the articles of impeachment to the House but without dismissing or terminating them.

“We believe that this matter goes beyond politics — it is fundamentally about Good Governance and the Rule of Law,” the MAP said.

“By allowing the trial to proceed, the Senate would affirm its commitment to transparency, accountability, and other principles of Good Governance  — giving the prosecution a fair chance to present its case and the defense a full opportunity to respond and clear the respondent’s name,” it added.

To recall, the House of Representatives earlier impeached Duterte, but she has since maintained that there was no misuse of confidential funds in her office.

“Upholding the Rule of Law is essential not only to safeguard our institutions but also ensure a stable, predictable environment for economic growth. It builds investors' confidence, attracts job-generating investments, and ultimately benefits all Filipinos,” the MAP said.

“We are confident that our Senators will rise to the occasion and reaffirm the Senate’s role as a pillar of Good Governance and the Rule of Law,” it added.

The Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI), the country’s oldest business institution, earlier called for the impeachment trial to begin, citing the Senate’s Constitutional and moral duty.

House hearings earlier revealed that the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd), also previously headed by Duterte, submitted documents with wrong dates, signatures without names of signatories, and unreadable names of signatories to justify the disbursement of its confidential funds in 2022 and 2023.

A House panel in December found that there was no PSA record of “Mary Grace Piattos,” whose signature appeared the most in acknowledgement receipts for confidential funds of office under Vice President Sara Duterte. The House panel earlier placed a P1-million reward for any information on the individual.

Duterte, for her part, earlier said she has not seen the acknowledgement receipts from confidential funds supposedly signed by “Mary Grace Piattos.” — RSJ, GMA Integrated News