The Senate may convene as an impeachment court on Wednesday, but the actual trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will begin next month, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero clarified on Tuesday.
In a chance interview, Escudero said the impeachment trial of Duterte would officially commence during the 20th Congress, which is set to open on 28 July.
“I already said that in February — we will do it in the 20th Congress, since there’s no more time left. That’s not our fault; the House chose to file that in the last days, the final hours of our last session day, even though they knew there were only two weeks left,” he told reporters.
“The trial will commence when the 20th Congress resumes. I have not changed my position. I have not changed my statement regarding that,” he added.
His clarification came after he took his oath as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court on Monday night, setting in motion the long-delayed proceedings that have languished in the chamber for four months.
Escudero’s oath-taking followed the referral of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the Senate Committee on Rules—with no senator, including known Duterte allies, objecting.
As part of the preparations, the remaining senators are set to take their oaths as senator-judges at 4:00 PM today, 10 June. The Senate is scheduled to officially convene as an impeachment court on Wednesday, the last session day of the 19th Congress.
Escudero said that while he is confident the trial will carry over to the 20th Congress, it will ultimately be up to the members of the incoming Senate to decide whether the impeachment case will proceed.
“The 19th Congress cannot bind subsequent congresses. The 19th House cannot bind the 20th House. The 19th Senate cannot bind the 20th Senate. This will be our decision, if at all,” he said.
“Now, if the 20th Senate decides that we don’t want it anymore — that this can no longer proceed — then that will be voted on by the 20th Senate,” he added.
He continued, “What if the House also says they don’t want it anymore—what are we supposed to do? Force the House? That’s not how it works.”
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on 5 February, with 215 lawmakers — more than two-thirds of its members — voting in favor.
If convicted by the Senate, Duterte would be removed from office and barred from holding any future public position.
To convict Duterte, the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, must secure two-thirds of the votes — or at least 16 out of its 24 members.