Escudero: No communication from House yet on impeachment raps vs. Sara Duterte

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said Tuesday that there has been no official communication yet from the House of Representatives on the progress of impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero made the remark as he refused to comment on the development that the impeachment complaints will be transmitted to the Office of Speaker Martin Romuladez this week as disclosed by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

"Ayoko magkomentaryo sa haka-haka. Hintayin ko dumating sa amin kung darating sa amin. Magkokomentaryo ako pag nasa amin na. Pero habang wala pa, hindi para sa amin na komentaryuhan pa yan," he said.

(I don't want to comment on speculations. I will wait for it to reach the Senate, if it will indeed reach the Senate. I will only comment on it once it is in our court. While it is not her, it is not for me to issue a remark on that.)

Asked if there are communications from the House, Escudero said, "Wala (none)."

The Senate president likewise said that he won't preempt any talks on the possibility of hearing the impeachment complaints while Congress is adjourned.

Congress will be in session for a week before adjourning February 7 to give way to the campaign period and the conduct of the May 2025 midterm polls.

Congress will resume session from June 2 to 13 before the 19th Congress ends.

At least 103 members of the House of Representatives should endorse an impeachment complaint for it to be transmitted straight to the Senate, which will act as an impeachment court.

If this happens, there will be no need for the House Committee on Justice to conduct hearings on the impeachment complaints.

The three impeachment complaints, which are all connected with the alleged misuse of confidential funds, were filed and endorsed late last year at the House of Representatives.

Duterte earlier said she welcomes the impeachment complaints against her.

"So, okay din 'yung impeachment case dahil ako lang ang tinitira doon, ako lang iniimbestigahan noon. Ako lang ang inaatake ng impeachment case. Hindi na kasali ang nga kasamahan ko sa OVP and mga dati kong kasama sa DepEd. Masagot na ng final kung ano 'yung mga inaakusa nila sa akin," Duterte said.

(So, it’s okay they filed an impeachment case since I’ll only be the one who's being attacked. I’ll only be the one who's being investigated. I’ll only be the one who is being attacked in the impeachment case. My staff in the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education will no longer be involved. I can finally answer what they are accusing me of.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News