Senate convenes as impeachment court on June 3

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero has written to the parties involved to prepare for the convening of the impeachment court on June 3 for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a May 19 letter sent to Speaker Martin Romualdez and copy furnished to Duterte, Escudero informed the House of Representatives prosecution team to prepare for the reading of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte for culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The reading of the charges will be set during the session on Monday, June 2, which is also the resumption of Congress after the election break.

“Pursuant to Rule I of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, we would like to inform your good office that, having taken proper order on the impeachment of Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte, the Senate shall be ready to receive the House of Representatives’ panel of prosecutors at 4 o’clock in the afternoon of June 2, 2025,” Escudero said.

“As stated in our letter dated February 24, 2025, the Senate shall expect the prosecution to read the seven charges under the Articles of Impeachment in open session,” he added.

The Senate will then convene as an impeachment court the day after, or at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3.

“Thereafter, the Senate shall be convened as an impeachment court at 9 o’clock in the morning of June 3, 2025 for the purpose of issuing the summons and such other relevant orders,” Escudero said.

House prosecutors notified

In Congress, Speaker Romualdez on Thursday confirmed the receipt of Escudero’s letter regarding Duterte’s forthcoming impeachment proceedings and has committed to transmit the Senate’s communication to the House panel of prosecutors.

“The House of Representatives confirms receipt of your Honor’s letter dated 19 May 2025, relative to the verified impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte,” Romualdez told Escudero in a letter dated May 22.

“This will be transmitted to the Panel of House Prosecutors,” Romualdez added.

The official communication from the Speaker was received by the Office of the Senate President on Thursday afternoon, as indicated by a stamp showing the time of receipt at 12:28 p.m.

Romualdez’s letter came in response to a May 19 communication from Escudero, informing the House of Representatives that the Senate is prepared to proceed with the next steps of the impeachment process.

‘Blessing in disguise’

During the Kapihan sa Senado forum yesterday, outgoing senator and now Makati mayor-elect Nancy Binay considered it a “blessing in disguise” that she won’t be in the Senate when the impeachment trial formally begins in July.

Binay will still sit as a judge when the Senate impeachment court convenes in June, but only for two weeks until her term formally expires by month’s end.

“It is a blessing in disguise that I won’t be part of a process that is seen as very divisive, at a time the country faces other pressing problems,” Binay said, adding that the Senate impeachment trial would only divert the senator’s duties from crafting laws to serving as impeachment judge.

Binay also saw that the emerging composition of the 20th Congress is leaning to Duterte’s favor, based on the number of her allies in the Senate.

“There are many Duterte-allied senator candidates who won in the elections. That will surely have an impact on the voting. At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game. If you look at the composition, the incoming Senate seems dominated by her allies,” Binay added.

VP Duterte ready for trial

The Vice President is ready for the impeachment trial, former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said yesterday.

“She is ready. From the very start, she has been saying, ‘I am ready for the impeachment,’” Panelo said over Bilyonaryo News Channel. — Bella Cariaso, Jose Rodel Clapano