Senate impeach court brooks no dissent

The House of Representatives and Vice President Sara Duterte must follow the order of the impeachment court, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Thursday.

In a media interview, Escudero was asked to comment on Speaker Martin Romualdez’s apparent swipe at the Senate after the impeachment court returned the articles of impeachment against Duterte to the lower house.

“That is the decision of the impeachment court. As prosecutors, they should respect and follow it. The same goes for VP Sara — she should also respect and comply with the summons issued by the impeachment court,” he said.

Before adjourning sine die on Wednesday night, Romualdez described the Senate impeachment court’s move remanding the impeachment case against Duterte back to the House as “deeply concerning.”

“I rise, not in defiance, but with resolve, guided by duty, grounded in principle. The decision of the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to return the articles of impeachment is deeply concerning,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez, however, said the House “will comply with the requirements of the impeachment court” to ensure that the process continues. “In matters of truth and accountability, the House does not back down,” he stressed.

This followed the House’s adoption of a resolution certifying that the impeachment proceedings against Duterte did not violate the Constitution, which was one of the impeachment court’s requirements.

To recall, 18 senator-judges, including Escudero, outvoted five other senator-judges — Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Win Gatchalian, and Nancy Binay — on the motion to return the articles to the House.

Based on the impeachment court’s order, the House must issue a certification that the lower chamber did not circumvent the one-impeachment-case-per-year rule, which is stated under Article XI, Section 3, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution.

At least three impeachment complaints against Duterte were filed in the House of Representatives in December 2024. However, the House acted only on the fourth complaint which was submitted to the Senate on 5 February 2025 — the last session day before the congressional break for the midterm elections.

Also part of the impeachment court’s order was for House members of the 20th Congress to express their willingness to pursue the impeachment case against Duterte — a move widely seen as killing the impeachment case following the results of the May midterm elections that favored Duterte.

To recall, only six of the 12 administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition candidates won seats in the upcoming Senate. Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the coalition’s campaign manager, blamed the impeachment move against Duterte for the dismal performance of the senatorial slate.

After the elections, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought a reconciliation with the Duterte family — which many viewed as a concession after the political fight he himself had initiated.

Senate awaits certification

Sought for comment, Escudero said only the impeachment court can determine the effect of the House decision not to accept the articles, adding that it had yet to formally receive the certification.

“Only the court can determine the effect of that, not me as chairperson and presiding officer. Second, that’s just a report in the media — we haven’t formally received anything yet. As I said, now that the matter is with the court, all communication should be done through pleadings and not on social media,” he said.

“We have not received anything. When we adjourned last night, it was not there yet — not even by nine o’clock,” he added.

Escudero also responded to accusations that the Senate impeachment court violated the Constitution when it returned the impeachment case to the lower chamber.

“The only one who can say whether something done by any agency is constitutional or not is the Supreme Court. Not them, and not us either,” he said.