Senate Minority bloc moves to convene Senate as impeachment court

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday formally moved to convene the Senate as an impeachment court to try Vice President Sara Duterte, ahead of the scheduled 11 June presentation of the Articles of Impeachment.

In his motion, Pimentel also called for the suspension of the legislative calendar and for Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to take his oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court. He further requested that all Senate members be administered the prescribed oath as judges.

He moved that the impeachment court call the case against Vice President Sara Duterte and establish a calendar for the trial.

“That tomorrow, June 10, 2025, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the Impeachment Court call the impeachment case for the presentation and reading of the Articles of Impeachment by the panel of prosecutors from the House of Representatives,” Pimentel said.

“That thereafter, the writ of summons be issued to the impeached officer,” he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros seconded the motion, stressing that the chamber must proceed “forthwith with no further delay” in convening the impeachment court.

“Hindi po mahirap intindihin ang utos, sa sinumang tapat ang intensyong sundin ito. Ang paglilitis ay dapat agarang simulan, nang walang pag-iwas o iba pang pagpapaliban,” Hontiveros said.

“In fact, retired Justice Adolfo Azcuna, who wrote the procedural section that included the word ‘forthwith,’ said that it meant, and I quote, ‘immediately and without unreasonable delay,’ or in the national language official version, agad-agad,” she added.

Senator Joel Villanueva, meanwhile, questioned the minority bloc’s motion to convene the chamber as an impeachment court.

Citing Senate Rules on Impeachment, Villanueva said notices must be issued to both the House prosecution team and the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Senators are still discussing how to proceed with the motion as questions remain about whether the impeachment case must first be referred to the Committee on Rules.

This is a developing story.