The majority of the 11-member minority bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano were absent during the all-senators caucus convened on Friday to discuss preparations for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte scheduled for 6 July.

Only Senators Loren Legarda and Robin Padilla were present from the minority bloc, while the rest were absent, including Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who was charged with non-bailable plunder before the Sandiganbayan by the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday.

Aside from Cayetano, the other absentees were Senators Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Bong Go, Mark Villar, and Camille Villar. Most members of the minority bloc are considered allies of the Vice President.

Also absent from the caucus were majority bloc members Senators Bam Aquino, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Raffy Tulfo, and Joel Villanueva.

Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada, though members of the same bloc, were likewise unable to attend the closed-door meeting due to their respective circumstances.

Dela Rosa remains out of public view amid reports of a possible arrest in connection with an International Criminal Court warrant, while Estrada has been detained since 1 June on plunder charges stemming from an alleged kickback scheme involving flood-control projects.

Senators declined to provide details of the caucus, as questions persist regarding the conviction threshold and the potential implications of Marcoleta’s case.

However, Senator Erwin Tulfo told reporters that discussions focused solely on the impeachment proceedings and did not touch on Marcoleta’s possible arrest.

“We were given documents to follow the sequencing. We didn't talk about any other senators. It's all about impeachment,” Tulfo said partly in Filipino during an ambush interview after the caucus.

The Senate impeachment court has allotted 92 trial days to examine and evaluate evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense.

House prosecutors are expected to use 31 of the allotted 62 hearing days to present evidence related to the alleged misuse of Duterte’s confidential funds and unexplained wealth. The remaining 30 days have been allocated to the Vice President’s legal team.

Win to preside

In recent weeks, senators from the majority bloc reportedly figured in a deadlock over who would preside over the impeachment trial, with some backing Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero while Senate President Win Gatchalian maintained that he should lead the proceedings.

Traditionally, the position of presiding officer in an impeachment court is held by the Senate president, except when the President of the Republic is the respondent.

However, senators in the Gatchalian-led bloc amended the Senate rules in early June, allowing members to elect a presiding officer separate from the Senate president.

Ahead of the caucus, Gatchalian ended speculation by confirming in a radio interview on Friday that he would preside over the trial in accordance with Senate rules.

Previously, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson revealed that there had been a consensus within the majority bloc to tap Escudero as presiding officer because of his legal background and experience in past impeachment proceedings.

The proposal, however, drew opposition from Tindig Pilipinas, a multisectoral group supporting Duterte’s impeachment and one of the complainants in the case.

The group argued that Escudero was “the most dangerous” option available to the majority bloc, citing what it described as his “twisted interpretation” of the constitutional directive to proceed “forthwith” with the trial of the first impeachment complaint filed against Duterte in February last year.

According to the group, Escudero’s interpretation became the basis for delays in the impeachment process.

Escudero previously faced criticism for his position that “forthwith” does not necessarily mean “instant,” despite several Constitutional Commission framers interpreting the term to mean “without delay.”

The group further argued that Escudero’s legal expertise “does not guarantee” impartiality or strict adherence to the Constitution, citing what it described as his flawed interpretation of key impeachment provisions.

Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Francis Joseph Aquino-Dee said he personally favored Senator Pangilinan, also a lawyer, as presiding officer, although the group as a whole preferred Gatchalian.