Hontiveros urges Chiz to conduct oath taking of new senator-judges

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday called on Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to already preside over the oath taking of the new senators in the 20th Congress who will serve as judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. 

At a press conference, Hontiveros explained that since the impeachment court is still in session now, Escudero, as the presiding officer, may call on the senators who won in the 2025 midterm elections anytime starting noon of June 30 to take their oath as senator-judges. 

“Paalala, any time 12:01 p.m. onwards of today, pwede na at sana ipanumpa na ni presiding officer ‘yung labindalawa pang bagong mga senador. Dahil by 12:01 p.m. today, 20th Congress na and therefore sila'y magiging senator-judges na ng Senate impeachment trial court,” she said. 

(Just a reminder, any time today 12:01 p.m. onwards, they can already take their oath and I hope the presiding officer will preside over that. Because by 12:01 p.m. today, it's already the 20th Congress and therefore they will be senator-judges of the Senate impeachment trial court.) 

“The Senate impeachment rules say ‘as they arrive.’ So pwedeng one by one sila, two by two or 12, it doesn’t matter, sila po ay senador na ng 20th Congress by June 30, 12:01 p.m. At dahil in session ang impeachment trial court at any time, sana mas maaga, panumpain na sila ni presiding officer. Sana wala ng ano pa mang delay or aberya between now and the 29th [July],” she added. 

(The Senate impeachment rules say 'as they arrive.' So they take their oath one by one, two by two or as a 12, it doesn't matter, they are already senators of the 20th congress by June 30, 12:01 p.m. And since the impeachment trial court is in session, the presiding officer can preside over that. I hope there won't be any delays between now and July 29.) 

GMA News Online has reached out to Escudero but he has yet to reply as of posting time.

20th Congress

The 20th Congress is set to convene its first session day on July 28, on the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

The Senate impeachment court convened on June 10, with the trial proper expected to begin in the 20th Congress. 

Hontiveros further said that the impeachment court should proceed with the trial and not entertain any motion to dismiss Duterte’s case.

This was in reaction to Escudero’s statement last Wednesday that the Senate impeachment court may vote on the motion to dismiss the impeachment complaint against Duterte if a senator-judge makes such a submission. 

“Para sa amin, mga senator-judges, ibang understanding ko sa tungkulin namin, it is to conduct a trial,” Hontiveros said. 

(For us senators-judges, I understand that it is our duty to conduct a trial.) 

“Para makaboto kami eventually na convict ba, acquit ba, kailangan naming madinig ang mga ebidensya sa bawat Article of Impeachment,” she added. 

(We need to hear the evidence in each Article of Impeachment, so that we can eventually vote whether to convict or acquit her.) 

The senator stressed that moving to dismiss the case or convict Duterte right away would not be fair to the prosecution, the impeachable official, and the public. 

“So hindi po ako sumasang-ayon na karapatan namin bilang Senate impeachment trial court pagbotohan at pagdesisyunan na ni wala pang isang unang minuto ng trial ‘yung motion to dismiss na nakapaloob sa ngayon sa formal answer ad cautelam. Kailangan umupo kami bilang senator-judges, i-kondukta ang trial, at saka lamang mag-desisyon at bumoto kung convict ba o acquit ba,” she said. 

(So I do not agree that it is our right as the Senate impeachment trial court to vote and decide on the motion to dismiss it. We must sit as senator-judges, conduct the trial, and then decide and vote whether to convict or acquit.)  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News