Minority moves for Senate to convene as impeachment court in VP Sara trial

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Monday afternoon moved for the Senate to convene itself into an impeachment court for the trial of the impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.

In his privileged speech during the plenary session, Pimentel moved for the following: 

• that the Senate’s legislative business be suspended;
• that the Senate already convene as an impeachment court at this very moment;
• that the Senate President immediately take his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court;
• that the Senate President/presiding officer administer the oath or affirmation to all the members of the Senate now present;
• that the impeachment court then call the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte and come up with a calendar for the trial;
• that on June 10, 2025, at 2 p.m. the impeachment court call the impeachment case for the presentation and reading of the articles of impeachment by the panel of prosecutors of the House of Representatives; and
• that a writ of summons be issued to the impeached officer.

Senator Risa Hontiveros seconded the motion. 

“Trial is the most fair course of action because the people need to know if their representatives acted properly and justly, by hearing the evidence used by them in filing the impeachment case, and, in the name of due process, we need to give the impeached officer the chance to defend himself or herself and clear his or her name,” Pimentel said. 

The Senate minority leader also underscored the importance of starting the trial proceedings as mandated by the Constitution. The verdict on whether Duterte is guilty or not, he said, would only be made after the trial.

“Mr. President, my dear colleagues, any further delay not only undermines the explicit mandate of the Constitution and our rules. It risks eroding public trust in the Senate's capacity and capability to uphold the accountability of public officers and the rule of law,” Pimentel said. 

“Not only do many believe that the Senate is heading to a no-trial scenario, worse, many have opined that simply by inaction or by merely refusing to convene as the impeachment court, the Senate seems to believe that it can effectively dismiss or defeat an impeachment complaint duly filed and transmitted by the House of Representatives,” he added. 

Hontiveros, in seconding the motion, said that the Senate should start Duterte’s impeachment trial “forthwith and with no further delay.” 

“Hindi po mahirap intindihin ang utos, sa sinumang tapat ang intensyong sundin ito. Ang paglilitis ay dapat agarang simulan, nang walang pag-iwas o iba pang pagpapaliban,” Hontiveros said. 

(The rule is not difficult to understand, for anyone who has the sincere intention of obeying it. The trial must begin immediately, without avoidance or further delays.)

“I am here before you to also appeal to the deeper purpose of the law. And the spirit of the impeachment power is unmistakable: it is accountability. It is to ensure that no public officer, however powerful, is above the Constitution,” she added. 

Article XI Section 3(4) of the 1987 Constitution 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 shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.” 

Duterte allies

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, meanwhile, made a manifestation that he will support Escudero whether the impeachment court will be convened within the day or on Wednesday, June 11. 

“Sana mapag-usapan natin ngayon. Hindi ako abogado, pero ako ay isang Pilipino na gusto sana na hindi na tayo magkakagulo sa Pilipinas,” he said. 

(I hope we can settle this today. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm a Filipino who wants no conflict in the Philippines.) 

Regardless, Dela Rosa said that the sentiments of those who do not want the impeachment trial to proceed should also be listened to. 

“‘Yung mga nagyayabang diyan na sabi nila, gusto daw ng taumbayan, na ito ay talagang magkakaroon ng impeachment… I don't know kung sinong taumbayan ang sinasabi nila because alam ko Mr. President, halos lahat ng tao sa Mindanao at Visayas, as I have observed during the campaign period, ang sabi sa atin is, ‘Sir, Iboboto kita kung hindi ka magboto sa impeachment or hindi ka magboto sa conviction,’” he added. 

(Those who are boasting that the people want the impeachment… I don't know which people they are talking about because I know Mr. President, almost all the people in Mindanao and Visayas, as I have observed during the campaign period, told me that they would vote for me if I would vote against the impeachment or Duterte’s conviction.) 

Senator Robin Padilla, who earlier filed a resolution seeking to declare as terminated the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, also stressed the need to follow due process when it comes to the trial. 

“Bakit naman sa oras na ito tayo gagawa ng isang bagay na katulad din ng sinabi ni Senator Bato dela Rosa, talaga po bang tayo ay gusto nating magkahiwa-hiwalay na talaga? ‘Yun po bang bansa natin talaga gusto na nating gutay-gutayin? Kung meron po tayong gustong baguhin, hindi dapat siguro ‘yan sa oras na ito, sa panahon na ito, at sa pagkakataong ito,” Padilla said. 

(Why are we going to do something, just like what Senator Bato dela Rosa said, that can divide us? Do we really want to tear apart our country? If there’s something we want to change, maybe it shouldn't be at this time.) 

20th Congress

For his part, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino maintained that the Constitutional deadline for the impeachment trial is on June 30, saying it could not cross to the 20th Congress. 

“We can still start the impeachment process but I stick to the Constitutional precept that we cannot carry over. We cannot allow a crossover or carry over because it is not part of the Constitution. We can only interpret the word as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.

Tolentino earlier said the impeachment case would be considered “functionally dismissed” if the Senate impeachment court is unable to finish the trial before June 30, 2025. 

Senators to vote

In response to the manifestations of the senators, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said that they would have to vote on the impeachment matter. 

“As I believe, we will put this to a vote in the next few minutes. Hiling at dalangin ko, anuman ang maging resulta na ninanais ng mas nakararami, galangin ng bawat miyembro ng Senado,” Escudero said.

“Dahil sa dulo, tagapangulo man ako ng Senado, batikang senador ka man o baguhan, tigi-tigisa lang po tayo ng boto. Pantay pantay po tayo pagdating sa kapasyahang ito,” he added. 

(My request and prayer is that whatever the result that many are hoping for, that each member of the Senate be respected. Because in the end, even if I’m the Senate President or if you're a seasoned senator or a neophyte, all of us have one vote. We are equal when it comes to this decision.) 

Escudero also reiterated that he will only do what is right based on the Constitution and will not listen to anyone who is in favor or against the impeachment, and anyone who is in favor of or against Duterte.

Escudero has caught flak for delaying the start of the impeachment trial despite the Constitution's saying it must be held "forthwith" after a third of House members vote for it.

Earlier on Monday, Hontiveros announced that the Senate’s minority bloc will formally move during the plenary session this afternoon to start the opening rites in the impeachment trial of Duterte.

Hontiveros said that she and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III will move to allow Escudero to take his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, and to administer the prescribed oath to all members of the Senate as judges of the impeachment court.

She said the minority bloc will also move for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court, and for the Articles of Impeachment to be formally presented to the body. –NB, GMA Integrated News