The other re-electionist senators are likely, for political-survival or personal reasons, to place re-election before accountability.
What will happen to the economy of this country after the end of the Marcos administration in 2028?The answer to this question depends on two interconnected events, namely: (1) the filing of error-free Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte by the House of Representatives with the Senate after February 5, 2026; and (2) the handing down of a judgment of acquittal or conviction after a “forthwith” trial of the Vice President by the Senate, which would be constituted as an impeachment court.A judgement of conviction will remove Sara Duterte from office and disqualify her from running in the 2028 Presidential election.The Senate thus bears a very heavy responsibility of determining whether the Philippine economy will or will not be managed after June 30, 2028 by a government headed by Sara Duterte. Under normal circumstances, this should pose no problem: the senators simply look and evaluate the evidence supporting the Articles of Impeachment and then let their conscience lead them to the verdict that is legally proper and just.But the present national circumstances are not normal. Ten members of the 20th Congress’s Senate – Alan Peter Cayetano, J.V. Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Robinhood Padilla, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri – are up for re-election in 2028.To be sure of being among the Magic 12 winners, a senatorial candidate needs to score well in Mindanao, which is the bailiwick of the Duterte political clan. The 2025 senatorial election demonstrated the impact of Dueterte-forces support on a candidate’s chances of winning, with six Duterte-backed candidates making among the Magic 12.The $64 question is whether the 2028 re-electionist senators will allow thoughts of Duterista votes to affect their judgements as judges in Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. Stated succinctly, will they go for the Mindanao votes or for accountability? The evidence against the Vice-President, especially the evidence relating to her use of Department of Education and Office of the Vice-President confidential funds, is very strong, but for a few Senators the lure of those Dutertista votes may prove to be irresistible.The ten 2028 re-electionist senators may be divided simply, into those who are likely to be faithful to the oaths that they will take as Senators-judges and those who are likely to put re-election before accountability.Who among the re-electionist senators are likely to be faithful to the oath that they will take as senators-judges?Risa Hontiveros is a person of great professional and personal integrity. She will judge the Vice-President on the basis of the evidence presented by the House of Representatives.Sherwin Gatchalian has posted a record as a sensible and level headed senator. He, too, is likely to judge Sara Duterte on the basis of the evidence.Loren Legarda, who was Fernando Poe Jr.’s running mate in the 2004 presidential election, is likely to place accountability before re-election.J.V Ejercito, likewise, is likely to judge Sara Duterte on the basis of the evidence presented in support of the Articles of Impeachment.The other re-electionist senators are likely, for political-survival or personal reasons, to place re-election before accountability.The day that they do so will be a very sad day for the principle of accountability of public officers so hopefully enshrined in Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.(llagasjessa@yahoo.com)
