Escudero postpones opening of impeachment court for Duterte trial
Metro Manila, Philippines - Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has postponed the highly anticipated convening of the Senate as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.
In a statement on Thursday, May 29, Escudero announced that the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment by the House prosecution team - originally scheduled for June 2 - has been moved to June 11.
Under the initial timeline, House prosecutors were set to read the charges in a Senate session on June 2, paving the way for the impeachment court to convene the next day. However, with June 12 being a non-working holiday, it remains unclear when the impeachment proceedings will now formally begin.
Escudero formalized the schedule change in a letter to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a copy of which was also furnished to Duterte.
The Senate leader cited the need to prioritize urgent legislation discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier that day.
“With only six (6) session days before the sine die adjournment, it is imperative for the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of these measures, consistent also with the administration's thrust to align our government with the people's needs and expectations,” Escudero wrote.
He identified the priority bills as follows:
+Amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act;
+E-Governance;
+Open Access in Data Transmission (Konektadong Pinoy);
+Rationalization of the fiscal mining regime;
+Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act;
+Virology Institute of the Philippines;
+Government optimization;
+Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act;
+Setting the term of office of barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan
+Judicial fiscal autonomy;
+Denatured alcohol rax; and
+Anti-POGO
Escudero also emphasized the urgency of confirming over 200 presidential appointees - including Cabinet secretaries - amid a government shake-up.
Duterte is the first vice president to be impeached by the House of Representatives, following an overwhelming vote of over 200 lawmakers on Feb. 5, the last session day before the midterm election.
Since the Constitution mandates that impeachment proceedings must “forthwith” proceed, calls mounted for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court during the congressional break. However, Senate leadership maintained that the Articles of Impeachment must first be formally read in open session.
There is also ongoing debate over whether the impeachment trial can carry over into the 20th Congress or if it will lapse with the sine die adjournment of the 19th Congress in June.
Duterte is facing charges related to her alleged misuse of confidential funds and public threats against the President and his family. She has a pending petition before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the impeachment proceedings.
