Senate President Tito Sotto confirmed Monday that he already briefed some members of the majority bloc in anticipation of Vice President Duterte’s impeachment case reaching the Senate for trial, but strongly denied that the gathering was a formal caucus.

“It was not a caucus or Senate meet[ing]. I just invited majority senators who were in town for dinner,” Sotto told reporters in a message. “It was simply a dinner exchanging talks and expectations. Definitely not a caucus.” 

Sotto was labeled as “critic” of the VP by former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, and tagged him as among the four senators most likely to vote in favor of her conviction if she faces trial in the Senate.

Sotto refuted the allegations and vowed to remain impartial pending the formal submission of evidence by the House prosecutors to the Senate impeachment court.

Senator Win Gatchalian confirmed that they had an informal briefing with other majority members, but denied that the discussion primarily centered on impeachment preparations. 

“We just discussed the possibilities that could happen. That includes impeachment, discussion of the [Blue Ribbon] committee report, LEDAC bills and other bills,” he said in a radio interview.

Sotto disclosed that he is currently undergoing a crash program on the Rules of Court to jibe with Senate Rules “in case of any eventuality,” referring to the possible transmission of the Articles of Impeachment from the House to the Senate.

While House lawmakers initiate the impeachment, it would be the senators who will weigh the evidence and decide whether or not the VP is guilty of the impeachable offenses she allegedly committed, such as betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and bribery. 

The charges are primarily related to the alleged questionable use of P650 million in confidential funds under the OVP and the Department of Education during Duterte’s stint as its secretary from mid-2022 to June 2024. 

Of the amount, P73.3 million was flagged by state auditors, and a notice of disallowance has already been issued for the return of the funds.

The P73.3 million in disallowed expenses forms part of the P125 million in secret funds that the OVP spent in 11 days in December 2022, though the VP’s accuser and alleged former aide, Ramil Madriaga, claimed it was disbursed in less than 24 hours.

Majority support for Sotto remains rock solid amid looming VP trial

Speculations of another possible ouster of Sotto have emerged anew amid the alleged behind-the-scenes impeachment preparations.

Senator Ping Lacson, a close ally of Sotto, and was also part of the four senators as likely to hand down a biased decision to convict the VP, as alleged by Panelo, strongly rejected speculations of an imminent threat against the Senate leader. 

He claimed over the weekend that the majority’s backing for Sotto remains intact, which was seconded by Gatchalian.

Gatchalian said he is personally satisfied with Sotto’s leadership and sees no problem with how he maneuvered the Senate’s legislative work. 

Sotto was first subjected to alleged ouster efforts last year, allegedly instigated by the minority bloc in a supposed attempt to block the adoption of the Blue Ribbon committee report, which purportedly recommended the filing of charges against some opposition senators involved in the flood control.

The nine-member minority is mostly comprised of the so-called “Duterte bloc,” or a group of senators supportive of the VP. 

Back in January, Sotto criticized the Supreme Court after ruling with finality its 2025 decision declaring the first impeachment case of the VP as “unconstitutional.” 

The decision pertains to the first impeachment case signed and endorsed by 215 House members against Duterte, but did not move forward in the Senate, under then Senate president Chiz Escudero, for trial.

Sotto derided the verdict as judicial overreach by effectively introducing a new set of rules for Congress to follow, making impeachment “an impossible dream.”