MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero announced that the Senate will commence preparations for a potential impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte only after an official complaint is lodged with the Senate. Speaking at the regular Kapihan sa Senado, Escudero emphasized that premature actions could be misconstrued as presumptuous or suggestive of insider knowledge.
Escudero likened the Senate’s role to that of a judge, stating that just as a judge does not prepare for a case before it is filed, the Senate will not act until a formal complaint is received. He outlined that upon receiving the complaint, the Senate would need approximately two to three weeks to process it and prepare for the trial.
He stressed that the impeachment process, while political, is a constitutional duty that the Senate must fulfill if pursued, regardless of personal or political convenience. Escudero also mentioned that once a complaint is filed, senators would take an oath as judges of the impeachment court and convene to establish the trial’s procedures and rules.
The Senate President has refrained from commenting on the specifics of the complaints against Duterte, encouraging his colleagues to do the same. Two separate impeachment complaints have been filed against Duterte in the House of Representatives. The first, filed on December 2 and endorsed by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, accuses Duterte of constitutional violations, graft, corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
The second complaint, filed on December 4 and supported by Makabayan bloc lawmakers France Castro, Arlene Brosas, and Raoul Manuel, focuses on allegations of misuse of confidential funds, falsification of documents to cover up these actions, and obstruction of congressional oversight.