The Senate will act on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte once the session resumes on 2 June, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said on Thursday.

According to Escudero, a lawyer, the Senate ‘ can only begin its impeachment proceedings against Duterte since a plenary session is required to convene the impeachment trial court.

“Legally it cannot be done. Again as I said because the impeachment court was not convened,” he told reporters during the Kapihan sa Senado when asked whether the Senate can start an impeachment trial while on break. 

“The impeachment complaint was not referred to the plenary for there to be a basis for the impeachment court to be convened by the Senate sitting as a legislative body and not as an impeachment court yet,” he added.

On Wednesday, the Senate adjourned its session without tackling the impeachment complaint against Duterte, despite the House of Representatives having transmitted the articles of impeachment to the chamber.

This was after a total of 215 lawmakers, or more than two-thirds of the House of Representatives members, supported the resolution to impeach Duterte.

‘House sat on impeachment complaints’

Escudero defended the chamber’s decision from criticisms after it proceeded with the Congressional break without discussing the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

“For more than two months, the impeachment complaints were pending were sat on, studied, read, and reviewed by the House of Representatives. For more than two months, the Secretary-General did not forward the impeachment complaints to the Speaker’s office to be referred to the plenary and the Committee on Justice,” he said.

“The rooms of the Secretary-General and the Speaker are just next to each other — similar to the Senate — just like the Secretary of the Senate and the Senate President. Why would we suddenly be told to act or move immediately within just a few hours?” he added.

He continued: “If they were just being casual about it, maybe they don’t have grounds to rush us, especially since it was only sent to us on the last day of our session, almost at 5 in the afternoon.”

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco personally turned over the articles of impeachment against Duterte on Wednesday afternoon to his counterpart, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr.

He was accompanied by House Sergeant-at-Arms retired police Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas.

Prior to this, Velasco said at least 215 members of the House had verified and sworn before him in support of the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte during the lower chamber’s plenary session.

In December 2024, civil society organizations filed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte before the House of Representatives Office of the Secretary-General.

This was followed by two separate impeachment complaints within the same month which are all related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President.

‘Rules need to be updated’

While the Senate would not be able to launch its impeachment trial, Escudero noted that they could start reviewing the Senate’s rules on the impeachment.

“As a response, we will carry out our duties that can be done during the recess, including reviewing the Senate rules on impeachment because these need to be updated,” he said.

The Senate leader specifically highlighted the need to update rules concerning judicial affidavit requirements, provisions, and procedures before a commissioner and the establishment of strong pre-trial procedures.

For Duterte to be convicted, the Senate, which will act as the impeachment court, must secure two-thirds of the votes — or at least 16 out of the current 23 senators.

At the moment, Duterte has four known allies in the chamber such as Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Robin Padilla and Imee Marcos.

Dela Rosa, Go and Marcos are all seeking reelection in the May elections. Dela Rosa and Go are running under the Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban), chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Senator Marcos, the eldest sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, was earlier announced as part of the administration’s senatorial slate.

She, however, opted to exclude herself from the administration’s senatorial slate, citing the “need to be free to cross the line to talk to all parties and to get things done.”

The abovementioned senators need to convince four more senators to obtain an acquittal.