Bantay Senado, a coalition of legal experts, students, and professionals, was launched on Monday to monitor the performance of senator-judges in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Coalition spokesperson Prof. Cleve Arguelles said the group is nonpartisan and aims to track the impeachment proceedings, focusing on evidence-based deliberations and how lawmakers handle testimonies and issues of public interest.
“Mahalaga ang Bantay Senado para mabuo ang proseso ng paglilitis, kasi sa mga nag-daan na impeachment trial ay isa palang ang naging successful,” Arguelles said Tuesday in an interview.
Arguelles said the initiative seeks to encourage public participation, noting that their research found many Filipinos remain unaware of the impeachment proceedings.
The coalition plans to conduct information sessions in barangays and institutions and establish community watch groups across the country to help explain the impeachment process.
Bantay Senado has also prepared a scorecard that will assess the performance of senator-judges, prosecutors, and the defense team of Vice President Duterte.
Arguelles said the coalition would issue a statement regarding the cancellation of the Senate plenary session, which he said could delay the impeachment proceedings after members of the majority bloc skipped the session following the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
