The Senate impeachment court is likely to hold the trial proper for the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte in June, during the congressional break, Senate President Alan Cayetano announced Monday.
Congress is scheduled to adjourn sine die on 5 June until 26 July, although Cayetano — the presiding judge — said they could hold the trial every day during this period.
Cayetano said the two-week window after the Senate convened on Monday as an impeachment court would be used for the filing of pleadings and the pre-trial stage.
“Upon conclusion of the pre-trial, the trial proper shall commence on a date and time fixed by the court of which the parties shall be duly notified,” he said.
The Senate court has given Duterte a maximum of 10 days to answer the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House of Representatives, after which the House prosecution team will have five days to reply. Cayetano said the Vice President is directed to appear before the Senate court upon a motion.
Coup still a threat
Cayetano managed to retain the chamber’s top post when the Senate convened on Monday, despite rumblings of a major leadership revamp over the weekend. He hinted, however, that threats of a counter-coup against him remained.
Cayetano said he reached a consensus with the minority led by his predecessor, Senator Tito Sotto, to proceed with impeachment-related work while they try to muster sufficient political backing to unseat him. Cayetano’s possible contender, although speculative, would need 13 votes to snatch the chamber presidency from him.
“We already talked about it, that while [they] don’t have the numbers yet, let’s not delay the usual process in the Senate,” Cayetano told reporters partly in Filipino in an interview.
Had the coup succeeded on Monday, Cayetano would have been the shortest-serving Senate President in Philippine history, having held the post for only one week.
Nobody’s puppet
In a press briefing prior to the session, Cayetano attributed the ongoing attacks on the Senate to a “concerted effort” to undermine the chamber ahead of the impeachment trial, the hearings on the 2027 national budget, and the revived efforts for Charter change.
He claimed the Senate is being targeted since it is the “last line of defense” on crucial national issues, and insisted he would resist the pressure and not become a mere “puppet Senate president.”
JV, Migz still with minority?
Senators JV Ejercito and Migz Zubiri declared themselves independent members of the chamber last week after abstaining from voting in favor of either Cayetano or Sotto. They were part of Sotto’s majority before he was ousted on Monday, 11 May, in favor of Cayetano through a 13-9-2 vote, with Senator Bato de la Rosa’s surprise return to the Senate after a six-month absence giving Cayetano enough votes to wrest the presidency.
Ejercito revealed he received a lucrative offer from no less than Cayetano to become the Senate majority leader, a position he called “the second most powerful” in the chamber. He told reporters, however, that he “politely declined” Cayetano’s offer out of “delicadeza” for the new minority led by Sotto.
During yesterday’s session, Ejercito and Zubiri maintained their independence, although they said they preferred to be “associated with the minority.”
As of Monday, Cayetano enjoyed the backing of 12 senators, excluding himself, a slim figure that has fueled speculation that the supposed brewing counter-coup against him may happen sooner rather than later. Rumors were that the opposition’s choice for Cayetano’s successor were either Zubiri or Senators Win Gatchalian and Kiko Pangilinan.
The rumors of a coup against Cayetano supposedly stemmed from the senators’ displeasure over the 13 May shooting incident inside the Senate, which put the institution in a bad light not only nationally but globally.
Sara camp: We will comply
The Vice President camp said it will comply with the order to submit a reply to the Articles of Impeachment filed against her.
In a statement, her lawyers said they have taken note of the impeachment court’s convening and the summons issued by the Senate.
“We will comply and file the appropriate response in accordance with the Constitution and applicable rules,” they said.
They declined further comment out of respect for the process, but earlier said Duterte is ready to answer the allegations in the “proper forum.”
Duterte skipped the House proceedings, which her camp had called “unconstitutional,” insisting the Senate is the proper body to conduct the trial.
