Former impeachment court spokesman hails SC ruling on 'forthwith'

The spokesperson for the Senate impeachment court in 2025 said the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the term "forthwith" under the 1987 Constitution's provision on an impeachment trial, as meaning "within a reasonable time," was a vindication for the Senate at the time.

According to a report on "24 Oras," Atty. Regie Tongol said the SC decision was also a win for "constitutional stability."

"The Supreme Court's near-unanimous decision proves that under the leadership of then-Senate President Chiz Escudero, the Senate was right to choose constitutional prudence over the reckless haste demanded by so-called experts," Tongol said.

Escudero drew criticism for the Senate setting the impeachment trial at a time which many saw was inconsistent with the term "forthwith."

"This ruling is not just a vindication for those of us who navigated these complex legal waters; it is a victory for constitutional stability," Tongol said.

In February 2025, the House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte. 

The Senate convened the impeachment court on June 10, 2025, more than a month after the midterm elections and weeks before the end of the 19th Congress.

Escudero earlier said that the impeachment trial would be up to the 20th Congress.

The constitution provides that the Senate shall "forthwith" convene itself into an impeachment court after the articles of impeachment are transmitted by the House. 

Escudero explained the Senate schedule of the impeachment trial, citing precedents of past trials.

"We are governed not only by the Constitution but also by our rules. We are also governed by precedents. We are also governed by decisions of the Supreme Court pertaining to the matter," Escudero said.

In July 2025, the SC ruled unanimously that the impeachment of Sara Duterte was unconstitutional.

In August 2025, the Senate impeachment court under the 20th Congress voted to archive the impeachment complaint brought before it. —NB, GMA News