Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero announced on Monday that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will commence following the 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in July. The trial is set to begin after the new Congress assumes its functions, marking a significant development in the political landscape of the Philippines.
According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero clarified during a press conference that the Senate impeachment court is scheduled to convene on June 2, dismissing claims that the Senate has been intentionally delaying the impeachment proceedings. He emphasized that the Senate cannot proceed with the trial during its break, as the impeachment court must be in session for the proceedings to occur.
The Senate Secretariat received the impeachment documents against Duterte from the House of Representatives, endorsed by over 200 members, on February 5. This coincided with Congress' last session day before the midterm elections slated for May 12. Escudero urged his fellow Senators to thoroughly review the articles of impeachment, noting that copies were distributed to them the previous week and are accessible on the Senate's website.
Addressing calls for a special session, Escudero stated that the Senate has no plans to request one, as some sectors have suggested. He pointed out that any request for a special session must come from the President. Escudero reiterated the Senate's commitment to following the law, without swaying to pro- or anti-impeachment sentiments.
Escudero also referenced the 1987 Constitution, which outlines specific circumstances under which Congress can hold special sessions. These include urgent legislative needs, the necessity to elect a new vice president, presidential incapacitation, election canvassing and proclamation, and instances where martial law is declared or the writ of habeas corpus is suspended.
He compared the current impeachment process with the cases of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, noting the timelines and procedures followed in those instances. Escudero highlighted that the trial for Gutierrez was scheduled over a month after the impeachment filing and similarly pointed out the timing of Corona's impeachment complaint relative to the Senate's recess in 2011.