The Senate on Sunday reminded Vice President Sara Duterte that she has until Monday, 1 June, to file her answer to the allegations in the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House of Representatives.
The reminder came after the 10-day period given by the Senate impeachment court for Duterte and her defense team to respond to the charges filed by the House, which include graft and corruption, among others.
The vice president or her counsel may file the written defense personally or via email until 7 p.m.
If no pleading is filed, the Senate impeachment court may proceed with the trial. Tight security is expected inside the Senate premises in preparation for the vice president’s possible arrival. The prosecution team has been directed to file its reply within five days.
The trial proper is expected to begin on 6 July, with sessions tentatively set three times a week.
The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, will decide whether she is acquitted or convicted. A conviction would require 16 votes, or two-thirds of the chamber, and would carry removal from office and permanent disqualification from holding public office.
For now, speculation continues over how the chamber’s current political alignment may affect the outcome. Duterte’s allies make up a strong bloc in the Senate, raising questions about whether she could be exonerated.
The charges are tied mainly to the alleged misuse of more than P600 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and an alleged plot to have President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez killed.
Her impeachment also comes even as she continues to lead early presidential preference surveys for 2028.
Senate security bolstered
Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Sunday said it is working closely with the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) to ensure security and order outside the Senate premises during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a radio interview, NCRPO spokesperson Police Major Hazel Asilo said they are coordinating with Senate security to ensure the safety of personnel entering and exiting the Senate building, as well as to provide immediate assistance to individuals leaving the compound.
Asilo added that the NCRPO is also consulting with Senate security on whether barriers will be installed, noting that “a big adjustment” may be necessary in crowd control arrangements.
Former Senate President Tito Sotto earlier expressed disappointment with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other security personnel for what he described as their failure to manage the crowd outside the Senate building.
Sotto claimed he was accosted by rallyists who banged on his vehicle, threw bottles, and hurled foul remarks while he was leaving the Senate compound.
The NCRPO said it will deploy additional police officers outside the Senate to maintain peace and order during Duterte’s impeachment trial.