Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero will recommend to fellow senators that the impeachment court handling the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resume sessions on August 4, 2025.
“Yun yung imumungkahi ko. Bakit yung petsang iyon dahil kailangang bigyan ng notice yung mga partido. Hindi naman pwedeng naisipan lang ng majority ng Senado pag-open ng Senado e bukas na bukas din. Kailangang may sapat na panahon para mabigyan ng notice yung mga partido (That’s what I would suggest. Why that specific date? Because the parties need to be given notice. It’s not right for the Senate majority to just decide that once the Senate opens, it will immediately be open the next day as well. There needs to be enough time to give the parties proper notice),” Escudero told reporters in an ambush interview at the Senate.
As presiding officer of the impeachment court, Escudero emphasized the need to provide official notices to both the House prosecution and Duterte’s camp before proceedings can continue.
He also noted that the House of Representatives has yet to fully comply with the Senate court’s orders following its June 10 vote to return the articles of impeachment.
“Wala pa namang order ‘yung Senado dun na hindi pa kino-comply ng Kamara. Hopefully, that one week period, ‘yung Kamara will be given time to comply with the orders of the Senate impeachment court dahil ‘yung pangalawang order hindi ba, dapat ang gumawa nun 20th House of Representatives, hindi ‘yung nagdaang House of Representatives. Kung hindi man nila ma-comply yun pagdating ng August 4, edi dun na lang namin pag-uusapan (There hasn’t been any order from the Senate yet that the House has failed to comply with. Hopefully, within that one week, the House will be given time to comply with the orders of the Senate impeachment court. Because for the second order, right? It should be carried out by the 20th House of Representatives, not the previous one. If they still can't comply with it by August 4, then we’ll just discuss it at that time),” he said.
Responding to persistent questions about the impeachment trial’s certainty, he said, “it will proceed according to the law.”
“Hindi ko kailangan sagutin yung mga tanong na ganyan na pabalang galing sa mga grupo na nangungulit lamang at gigil na gigil na matuloy ng impeachment trial. Tutuloy at mangyayari yan ayon sa batas (I don’t need to answer those kinds of evasive questions coming from groups who are just being persistent and eager for the impeachment trial to push through. It will proceed and happen according to the law),” he said.
The impeachment court first convened on June 10 under the 19th Congress, voting to return the articles of impeachment without dismissing the case.
The trial can only proceed once the House certifies that the complaint does not violate the constitutional provision prohibiting multiple impeachment proceedings against the same official within one year, and formally indicates its willingness to pursue the complaint in the 20th Congress.
Senator Joel Villanueva previously indicated that August 4 may mark the first day of Duterte’s impeachment trial, coinciding with the opening week of the new Congress’s regular session.
Responding to criticisms that the Senate is delaying the trial, Escudero dismissed such claims, stressing that the court must follow due process.
“Hindi porket nagmamadali sila ay kailangan na rin namin magmadali. Gagawin namin ito sang ayon sa proseso. Ulitin ko, madaliin, delay na naman—edi bukas na bukas rin mag-hearing tayo kahit na walang notice sa mga partido—paano naman ‘yun? (Just because they’re in a hurry doesn’t mean we have to rush as well. We will do this according to the proper process. Let me repeat: rushing it or causing delays—so what, we hold a hearing tomorrow without even giving notice to the parties involved? How would that be fair?),” he said.
The Senate President added that the final schedule will be announced in a plenary session.
Meanwhile, the youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) rallied at the Senate, urging Escudero to inhibit himself as presiding officer in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
In an open letter, SPARK leaders argued that Escudero’s recusal would demonstrate the court’s impartiality and restore public confidence, given the trial’s political sensitivities.
“As Senate President, recusing from the proceedings of the impeachment court assures the public that the leading figure of the Senate will stand above the partisan politics that define the legislative process,” the youth group said.
The group warned that ongoing delays have undermined the Senate’s legitimacy, urging “drastic measures” to safeguard the court’s constitutional duties.
Escudero rejected the call, insisting that fairness means applying rules equally to all parties, regardless of pressure.
“Kung ang depinisyon nila ng pagiging patas as kakampi sa kanila sa gusto nila, pwes hindi patas ‘yun. Klaro ang gusto nilang mangyari, at porke hindi sumasangayon o sumusunod sa kanila, eh hindi na patas (If their definition of fairness is siding with them and giving them what they want, then that’s not fair at all. It’s clear what they’re trying to achieve, and just because we don’t agree with or follow them doesn’t mean we’re being unfair),” Escudero said.
“Being fair means applying the rule evenly to everyone regardless of who it is.”
Escudero reaffirmed that the impeachment court will act strictly according to the law, free from external influence.
In February, the House of Representatives filed an impeachment complaint against Duterte, accusing her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, and/or committing high crimes for allegedly “contracting an assassin and plotting to murder or assassinate the incumbent President, the First Lady, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”