The Senate will begin formal impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte next week after the House of Representatives transmitted the Articles of Impeachment, setting the stage for the upper chamber to convene as an impeachment court on May 18.
The Senate is expected to open the process at 3 p.m., with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano announcing that the chamber will proceed in line with constitutional requirements and internal rules.
He said the Secretariat has already placed the Articles of Impeachment in the Calendar for Ordinary Business ahead of referral to the impeachment court.
Cayetano said senators are expected to convene without altering existing impeachment rules to avoid delays, noting that any revisions would still require publication before taking effect.
“If everyone agrees on the rule, I do not see any reason why hindi kami makapag-convene sa Monday,” said Cayetano, who is set to act as presiding officer once the court is convened.
He will then administer the oath of the 23 senator-judges before summons are issued to Vice President Sara Duterte.
He also emphasized that the trial schedule will follow constitutional timelines and will not be subject to discretion, though the duration of proceedings will depend on the number of witnesses and evidence to be presented by both sides.
Cayetano added that the Senate must also balance the impeachment trial with its ongoing legislative workload.
“So walang delay ‘yun. Kung ano na sa rules, kung ano nasa Constitution ‘yun,” he said.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives formally transmitted the Articles of Impeachment against Sara Duterte to the Senate at 7:22 p.m. on Wednesday, following a plenary vote of 257–25 with nine abstentions.
House Secretary General Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil personally transmitted the documents to Senate Secretary Mark Leandro Mendoza after the completion of record verification, collation, and reproduction.
Garafil said the House Secretariat ensured the completeness and accuracy of thousands of pages of impeachment records before submission.
“The accuracy of our submission is our paramount concern,” she added.
The Articles of Impeachment originated from Committee Report No. 261, adopted through House Resolution No. 989, and cite allegations including misuse of confidential funds, constitutional violations, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other impeachable offenses.
Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN News
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