Senate ready for Sara Duterte impeachment trial if SC reverses decision — Sotto

The Senate stands ready to conduct the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should the Supreme Court (SC) reverse its decision declaring the Articles of Impeachment against her unconstitutional, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said Wednesday. 

"Personally, yes, the answer is in the affirmative," Sotto told reporters at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay when asked on the possible resumption of Duterte's impeachment trial.

"The Senate itself, yes. If the SC says they are reversing their decision, then we will move to reclaim the Articles of Impeachment from the archives," he said. 

In August, the Senate—voting 19 affirmatives, 4 negations, 1 abstention—transferred to the archives the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, following the Supreme Court ruling. 

Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

In return, Duterte had entered a "not guilty" plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called a mere "scrap of paper."

The SC deemed that the impeachment complaint transmitted by the House of Representatives was covered by the one-year rule on the filing of such, and that Duterte's right to due process had been violated.

It also said it was not absolving Duterte of any of the charges against her and that any subsequent impeachment complaint may be filed starting February 6, 2026.

The House then filed a motion for reconsideration, seeking to reverse the SC decision. The lower chamber argued it should be allowed to perform its exclusive duty to prosecute an impeachable official, and the Senate's to try the case.

Motions for reconsideration

Three motions for reconsideration have been filed with the SC against its ruling. 

The first was filed by some of the individuals behind the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, followed by the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives.

The third motion was filed by the 1Sambayan coalition, including Carpio-Morales and Carpio, previously filed a motion for reconsideration with the SC on its ruling. They asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order and to set the case for oral arguments. — VDV, GMA Integrated News