On the eve of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas warns senator-judges that they—not just the embattled vice president—would ultimately be judged by the Filipino people if politics prevails over the evidence.

The Senate prepares to convene as an impeachment court on Monday afternoon, which marks the start of what is expected to be a lengthy trial, with the court allotting 92 days for the presentation of evidence by both the prosecution and the defense.

"Whatever political considerations our senators may have, they will be judged by the Filipino people," Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino Dee said as the group staged Lakbay Pananagutan, a symbolic relay of the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.

Asked whether the current composition of the Senate could affect the outcome of the case, Dee said he believes the evidence presented by House prosecutors supports a conviction.

"I believe conviction is the straightforward outcome," he said.

He pointed to the impeachment charge arising from Duterte's alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-Speaker Martin Romualdez.

"On the grave threats charge alone, the evidence speaks for itself. The whole country has already seen the video," Dee said.

Still, he acknowledged that the verdict ultimately rests with the 24 senator-judges.

In 2025, the Supreme Court voided the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, ruling that it violated the Constitution's one-year bar on impeachment proceedings. 

After the prohibition lapsed, the House of Representatives endorsed a new complaint, paving the way for the Senate trial set to begin Monday. 

The complaint accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.

As the Senate prepared to convene as an impeachment court, Duterte's legal team said it would not seek to delay the proceedings.

Defense spokesperson Michael Poa earlier said that while the vice president's camp would raise legal and procedural issues it considers necessary to protect her constitutional rights, it would not employ dilatory tactics to stall the trial. 

For Dee, however, the trial also presents an opportunity for Duterte to personally address the accusations against her.

"I hope she finally explains these anomalies," he said. 

"The evidence against her is very strong, yet she has not presented a single piece of evidence to defend herself. I hope she tells her side so the public can arrive at a clear judgment," he added.

He also warned that attempts to stop the proceedings could trigger renewed public protests.

"If the formal trial does not continue, chances are the Filipino people will once again take to the streets," Dee said.

Sunday's Lakbay Pananagutan was organized as a public show of support for the impeachment process. 

Beginning at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, participants carried symbolic copies of the Articles of Impeachment to the Commission on Audit, the BPI Julia Vargas branch in Pasig City and the Department of Education, with each stop representing one of the allegations contained in the complaint against Duterte.

According to Tindig Pilipinas, the relay sought to remind the public that impeachment is a constitutional accountability mechanism and that "no public official is above the law."