By Rachel Magday

 

Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Atty. Timothy Joseph E. Cayton said his vote in favor of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte was grounded on the constitutional mandate of Congress to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability in public office.

“The duty of Congress is to obey and defend the Constitution. No one is above the law,” Cayton said, explaining his vote to affirm the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President.

Cayton said the role of the House of Representatives under the 1987 Constitution is to determine whether impeachment complaints are sufficient in form and substance, and whether probable cause exists to send the case to the Senate for trial.

He stressed that a vote to approve the Articles of Impeachment is not a vote to convict.

“The House does not determine guilt or innocence. We are not a court. The only question is whether there is sufficient basis to bring the matter before the Senate for trial in accordance with due process,” Cayton said.

According to Cayton, the House Committee on Justice had conducted proceedings in line with the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings and found probable cause based on the verified complaints filed before the chamber.

“We have a process to follow. The Constitution provides a clear mechanism for matters like this. Our responsibility is to ensure that the process is allowed to proceed, not to obstruct it,” he said.

Cayton said his position was not driven by political pressure or personalities, but by the need to protect democratic institutions and uphold accountability.

“We must not allow our province to be compromised by politics or noise. Nueva Vizcaya must remain on the side of the law, good governance and accountability,” he said.

“This is bigger than personalities and politics. This is about accountability to the people and respect for our institutions,” he added.

Cayton also expressed confidence that the Senate, once convened as an impeachment court, would carry out its constitutional duty with fairness and impartiality.

He said the proceedings should be viewed through the lens of the Constitution, accountability and the rule of law, rather than partisan politics.

“In the end, what matters most is that our democracy remains strong, our institutions continue to function, and the Constitution and the law prevail above anyone else,” Cayton said.