House leader: Senate passed up chance to start impeachment trial of Sara Duterte

The Senate had time to act on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte but passed up the opportunity, House Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun said Thursday.

Khonghun said the Senate can still hold sessions on February 6 and 7 as provided under Concurrent Resolution No. 22 or after February 5 when the House sent the impeachment complaint against the Vice President to the Senate.

“Pareho po ang legislative calendar ng Senado at Kamara – hanggang February 7 ang aming session. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na tapos na ang trabaho ng Kongreso noon. Ang malungkot lang, maaga silang nag-adjourn noong February 5 kaya hindi nila ito naaksyunan,” he said in a statement.

(We have the same legislative calendar, which states our session is until February 7. They adjourned on February 5, and that is why they were not able to take action on the impeachment complaint.)

Khonghun was responding to Senator Cynthia Villar’s statement that it would be too much to ask for the Senate to convene the impeachment trial of the Vice President since the impeachment complaint was transmitted on February 5 or the last day of session.

Khonghun then said that the House "acted swiftly and in accordance with legislative rules to ensure the immediate transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment" when over 215 House members signed as impeachment complainants for the fourth impeachment complaint last February 5, even if the first three impeachment raps were already filed in November and December 2024.

"Maaga at maayos nating naipadala ang Articles of Impeachment, dumating sa Senado ang House Secretary General dala ang dokumento noong February 5 ng hapon. May pagkakataon po talagang talakayin,” Khonghun added.

(We sent the complaint early and in order last February 5. They had the chance to discuss it.)

Further, Khonghun said that the conducting an impeachment trial is not a legislative function and as such, can be started anytime as provided for the Constitution.

He was referring to the Article 11 Section 3.4 of the 1987 Constitution which states that “in case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same should constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.”

“Hindi tayo naghahanap ng sisihan, pero dapat malinaw ang nangyari. Sinunod ng House ang proseso, at itinakdang legislative calendar. Ang tanong: bakit hindi agad kumilos ang Senado?” Khonghun said.

(We are not putting blame here, but what happened was clear. The House followed due process in accordance with the legislative calendar [that you can hold session until February 7. Why the absence of quick action from the Senate?)

“The House has done its job. Now, it’s time for the Senate to prove that it respects the Constitution and values the Filipino people’s right to accountability. Huwag nating gawing pulitika ang isang napakahalagang proseso,” Khonghun said.

GMA News Online reached out to Senate President Francis Escudero for comment on the matter.

Escudero previously said it is unfair to pressure the senators to act on the Articles of Impeachment when the House of Representatives sat on the complaints for months.

"Kung nagpabanjing-banjing sila gawin ito siguro wala naman silang basehan ngayon na madaliin kami lalo na nasa huling araw na ng sesyon 'yan pinadala sa amin halos mag-a-alas singko pa ng hapon," he said.

(If they did this so unhurriedly then surely they would have no cause to hurry us up, because they only sent it to us on the last day of session at nearly 5 p.m.)

"Hindi naman siguro makatarungan at tama na pagkatapos nilang upuan ito ng ilang buwan biglang pupuwersahin, pipilitin at sasabihan kami ng sinuman galing sa Kamara na, ‘Hoy, bilisan niyo. Ano ba kayo?’ Hindi ganun at hindi ako papayag nu'n," he added.

(It's surely not right that after they sat on this for months before acting on it, they're going to force us and tell us, 'Hey, hurry it up. What's wrong with you?' That's not right and I won't accept it.)

Escudero released the initial timetable for procedures related to the impeachment trial of Duterte, setting the tentative start of the trial on July 30.

He earlier said the trial will not start until the Senate resumes session.

Three impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte in late last year but it was not immediately transmitted to the Office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

In January 2025, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said he promised to give more time to a group of 10 to 12 House members who either want to file a fourth impeachment complaint or endorse one of the three already filed.

The House impeached the Vice President last February 5, accusing her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption and other high crimes based on the following seven Articles of Impeachment:

• conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez;
• malversation of P612.5 Million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents;
• bribery and corruption in the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda;
• unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in the Vice President’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth where her wealth increased by four times from 2007 from 2017;
• involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City;
• destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder efforts, which include: boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself "designated survivor," leading rallies calling for Marcos' resignation, obstructing congressional investigations by ordering subordinates not to comply with subpoenas, threatening bodily harm against the First Couple and Romualdez, among others;
• the totality of the Vice President’s conduct as the second highest official of the land.

Over 200 House members signed the impeachment complaint. —Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News